Russian Roots
by KimberlieR
Summary: Sequel to After The Sacrifice: The Royal Court has been moved to Russia, but that doesn't mean all the danger is behind them. The Moroi/Dhamphir world is continuing to change, and not all of the changes are for the better. Between their new jobs and parenthood, they all have their hands full, and more than a few surprises are in store.
1. Chapter 1

**RPOV**

You know that old saying: Wherever you go, there you are?

Well it turns out whoever came up with that knew a thing or two.

Sure I had a new job, in a new country, in a new house, with my new family. But at the end of the day, I was still me.

Still an impetuous and slightly ill-tempered guardian.

Still the mother of a miracle baby and the best friend of the Queen.

Still the notorious offspring of my equally notorious parents.

And still married to the love of my life.

As far as I was concerned the only real difference I could see was that these days I was seriously sleep deprived.

Maybe it was my age or just my improved emotional state, but this jet lag was really kicking my ass. Although to be fair, my last stint in Russia had been under drastically different circumstances.

Short of snacking on somebody's brain, I had more or less been a zombie.

 _Now those were some dark days…_

The time I spent chasing Strigoi Dimitri all over Russia was undoubtedly the worst time of my life. I had just lost Mason, abandoned Lissa, and more than once I had been certain I wouldn't survive it.

Fortunately for me I'd made it out in one piece.

 _But could the same thing be said about Dimitri?_

From the moment he'd proposed moving the court back to Russia, I had mentally been preparing for the worst. It wasn't exactly a secret that Dimitri struggled with his past and the choices he'd made while a Strigoi. In the months following his restoration, he woke up screaming every night; tortured by all the innocent lives he had taken. It was a terrible time I couldn't bear to remember, so you can understand why I was in no hurry to relive it.

But after weeks of constant worry, it seemed my preparations were in vain.

It had been nearly a week since we'd set foot on Russian soil and Dimitri hadn't so much as blinked. He was sleeping through the night, showed no signs of any stress and there was no trace of the memories that once plagued him.

Simply put, he was the same old Dimitri.

So why did I find that more unsettling?

"I don't know why you insist on looking for trouble where there isn't any." Janine chastised as she handed me another empty box.

We'd spent the better part of our day trying to unpack Sebastian's nursery and it seemed that we were finally making progress. It was the only room left in the house that we had yet to unpack.

 _No doubt because Dimitri had tasked me with it…_

"I'm not looking for trouble." I defended myself. "I'm just vigilantly trying to prevent it."

She glanced up at me over the box she'd just dismantled and her pursed lips told me that she wasn't convinced.

I watched her mouth open as she readied to protest before she seemingly decided to think better of it.

There was a time before her accident when she would have argued this to no end, but these days she was making a real effort.

 _We both were._

After deciding it was only fair that I meet her halfway, I tried to make my tone sound more reasonable.

"I know what this looks like, but you have to understand; it was hell the last time we went through this. The way he tortured himself; it was unbearable mom, and as a couple it nearly destroyed us!"

It was hard for me to remember just how close I came to losing him, and the possibility of it happening again had me panicked.

"I know he says he's fine now, but how long can that last when he's surrounded on all sides by bad memories!"

Even my own ears had picked up on my blatant desperation and Janine looked at me with sympathy and sighed.

"You think I'm paranoid, don't you?" I asked her with dejection, but she surprised me when she shook her head slightly.

"Of course I don't Rose. But what YOU have to understand is that worrying will do more harm than good. With the way the two of you are so attuned to one another, it's likely Dimitri will pick up on all your stress. Then he'll start to worry about you being so worried and then where will that leave the both of you?"

It pained me to admit it, but she made a fair point.

 _Of course I wasn't about to tell her that!_

"Rose" she sighed wearily. "I know that you're scared, but right now your attention is needed elsewhere. That royal guard isn't going to assemble itself you know."

 _And I'd be damned if I wasn't right again!_

Once the initial excitement of getting a promotion wore off, I found that I wasn't thrilled about it. The gravity of my situation and what was being asked of me; well it wasn't exactly an easy burden to bear.

"You've been given a great honor and with that comes great responsibility. You simply can't afford to be distracted."

 _Gee, ya think?_

My natural inclination whenever my mother lectured me usually involved a lot of sarcasm and snark. But after reminding myself that we were trying to make progress, I somehow managed to hold my sharp tongue.

I could feel her eyes on my as she waited for a response but I diligently did my best to ignore her.

 _Hey, if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all right_?

Besides, I got the feeling that she knew my polite silence took real effort since I caught her smirking before returning to her work.

 _Nice to know that my pain amused her…_

With the swift swipe of her box cutter, she pulled back the flaps and revealed the boxes contents inside.

 _Seriously? More clothes?_

How many outfits could a kid his size have?

Sure I was no expert on children, but I had to believe, 15 boxes full of clothes was just overkill.

And on this my mother and I could agree.

"Honestly Rosemarie" she said as she dramatically rolled her eyes. "This is getting a little out of hand. Why don't you just donate the rest of these and be done with it." She asked, gesturing around us at the sea of baby blue.

And for the third time today, I couldn't entirely disagree.

More than half of the clothes in here had the price tags still attached. There was no way Bash could ever wear them all.

Especially with the way this kid grew!

"89.99 for this tiny scrap of fabric? Rose, tell me that this was the Queen's doing!"

I glanced in the direction of my screeching mother's voice and towards the object she was holding up in disbelief.

The small offensive article was a powder blue onesie, covered in tiny embroidered whales. And while there was no denying it was cute, it wasn't particularly special in nature, leading me to believe it was designer.

"Of course Lissa bought that." I told her rolling my own eyes, and it was hard for me to mask my indignation.

 _Did she seriously know so little about me?_

Apparently so…

After careful scrutiny on her part, she seemed willing enough to believe me and once satisfied she continued rummaging through the box.

"Anyway" I began, trying to shrug off my irritation. "You were right when you suggested that we don't these."

The words sounded all wrong coming out of my mouth, but my mother seemed rather pleased at hearing them. In fact she damn near looked shocked.

"However, I do want to finish sorting through them first."

As daunting as the task set in front of me appeared, there were a handful of cute outfits worth keeping. Extreme as it may be, Lissa did have great taste.

Of course I wouldn't expect my mother to understand that.

25 years spent wearing the same uniform everyday had pretty much robbed her of any sense of style.

Besides, her near death experience may have improved our relationship, but she was fundamentally the same woman as before. She was still Janine Hathaway and true to form, she had little to no interest in cute clothes.

"Suit yourself." She muttered as she rose to her feet. "But I believe that my work here is done."

She was just about to leave when her gaze fell onto the corner and the mountain of empty boxes we'd amassed.

"Would you like me to take these to the curb when I go?" She asked, but I never got the chance to answer her.

"I'll take care of it." Dimitri announced, starting us both from the door, and his devilish smirk made it clear he was quite pleased.

Sneaking up on a guardian isn't easily managed, but then he's one of the best for a reason.

You'd think after all of these years, I'd be used to it by now, but his easy grace never ceased to amaze me.

"But thank you for all of your help today. I've been asking Rose to finish this all week."

"Well there's your problem." Janine scoffed, brushing the lint off her black slacks. "You coddle her too much. Next time don't ask. Just tell her to get off her ass and get it done. It's always worked for me." She added.

 _Ha! He wouldn't dare!_

In fact, if Dimitri valued his spot in our warm and cozy bed, he'd do well to forget ever hearing that. The warning look that I gave him made that QUITE clear.

"I'll keep that it mind." He chuckled lightly.

She nodded in approval of the fact that he'd listened, but the moment she looked away Dimitri gave me a sly wink. He continued to hold my gaze a little longer than necessary and as a result his smirk melted into something more. The next thing I knew he had me squirming in my seat and I was suddenly very eager to get my husband alone.

 _Oh the things that this man could do to me…_

"Well then" Janine announced, calling our attention back to the present.

Apparently she'd been oblivious to our mounting sexual tension.

"I guess I will leave you both to it."

After giving us her usual curt nod, she strolled purposefully across the room and crouched down on the floor in front of Bash He'd been quietly entertaining himself in his small bouncy chair and she leaned in closer to kiss his cheek.

"Nana loves her sweet boy." She cooed softly at Bash and his little arms began to flail around with excitement.

His sudden jerky movements were enough to make her laugh before she began peppering his face with more kisses.

Small garbled sounds were his only response, but it was clear he enjoyed all the attention.

It was times like these that I couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever been this affectionate towards me.

 _It wasn't likely._

When Bash let out a loud squeal of delight, both Dimitri and I laughed in response. Of course our laughter only reminded Janine she wasn't alone. She shot a quick glance in our direction, clearly embarrassed, before turning back around to face Bash. After clearing her throat she gave him one more quick kiss and then pridefully strode out of the room.

Okay, so maybe things had changed a little bit…

* * *

 **And the fun has begun!**

 **What did you all think of Rose's new relationship with Janine?**

 **Or Janine's relationship with Bash?**

 **What are your predictions for their upcoming adventures, and is there anything in particular you'd like to see?**

 **Hit the reviews and let me know : )**


	2. Chapter 2

**DPOV**

When I woke the next morning Rose was already gone, although I couldn't really say I was surprised. Today was the day of the guardian combine and I was pretty certain that she hadn't slept a wink.

How was it that a woman who'd accomplished so much in her short life could have so little faith in herself?

 _*Flashback*_

 _Even after finishing what we'd started in the nursery, I could tell Rose's mind was somewhere else._

 _"Stop worrying" I murmured, pulling her closer in the dark._

 _We were nothing but bare skin and tangled sheets and she shivered slightly when my lips found her neck._

 _"Easy for you to say" She scoffed._

 _Even in the darkness and without ever needing to see her, I was fairly certain she that she'd just rolled her eyes._

 _"This isn't just another day at the office Comrade. I think we both know what a big deal this is."_

 _Her voice grew in volume the more she worked herself up, so with a heavy sigh I rolled us both onto our sides. The room was pitch black, but my eyes were adjusted enough to see her and I lightly trailed my thumb across her cheek._

 _"You're over thinking this." I told her, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear._

 _It was a tender gesture that didn't go unappreciated, but unfortunately it did little to calm her frazzled nerves._

 _"Dimitri" she sighed heavily. "In less than 12 hours I have to assemble a new guard, and I don't even know where to start!"_

 _Vulnerability wasn't something that Rose showed very often, but then she knew she'd get no judgement from me. Rose and I were a team. We always had been. And she also knew I'd do anything to help._

 _"Well if it was me" I told her, "I would start with the basics."_

 _And she titled her head to the side with curiosity._

 _Sensing that she was waiting for me to elaborate, I continued to explain my reasoning._

 _"Do you remember how we trained after you came back from Portland?"_

 _Her sour expression made it clear that she did._

 _"How could I forget?" She answered me dryly. "Apart from the time I gave birth to your oversized offspring, it was the most physically grueling experience of my life. I had no idea just how out of shape I had gotten!"_

 _"My point exactly" I smiled. "You can tell a lot about a person just by starting with the basics."_

 _And her eyes began to sparkle with understanding._

 _"You're probably going to see a number of very talented guardians tomorrow, but it's the basics that will help you weed the bad ones out."_

 _"You see!" she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air and I winced when they made contact with my bare chest. "This is exactly why Han's shouldn't have picked me for this! You are the one with the experience here. You are the one with the plan! Meanwhile I'm the one over here stumbling around in the dark, and what have I got to show for it?"_

 _"You have heart Milaya!" I told her with earnest. "And better instincts than anyone I know. Think of all you've accomplished in the face of constant adversity. And you're not even 25 years old!"_

 _"But this is different." She protested, although it sounded a bit weak. She had lost some of her previous conviction._

 _"All the crazy shit I pulled off when I was a kid only happened because I was too dumb to know better. I just acted without thinking, and never bothered with the consequences. But this time I know what's at stake. It's not just Lissa's life on the line anymore. It's Dylan and Dominic's as well. I really can't afford to screw this up!"_

 _I could hear what was clearly Janine's influence in her rant, and I now knew this is what they'd spent their day talking about._

 _"Oh Roza" I sighed, pressing her forehead against mine. "That's precisely the reason why Han's chose you. No one understands the risks better than you do, or will work harder to keep Lissa's family safe. It's also the reason why you could never mess this up, and it's the reason Lissa picked you to be her children's God Mother."_

 _Her expression softened at the reminder of the twins christening on Friday, and it warmed my heart to see her smile._

 _"You can do this Milaya, I know that you can. But more than that, I know you're going to be great at it."_

 _I studied her face carefully while she absorbed what I said and I sighed with relief when she smiled. Now personally I would have been satisfied with any kind of smile, but the one she was giving me now was my favorite._

 _"You know flattery will get you nowhere" She purred seductively in the dark before her fingers made a trail down my bare chest._

 _"Is that so?" I whispered huskily, catching her hand above my waist. Without any warning, I rolled us both over, hoovering with her small body under mine._

 _"Yup" she grinned widely as she popped the P sound, and her eyes were now twinkling with excitement._

 _"Well we'll just have to see about that."_

 _She squealed with delight when I went in for the kill, and her melodic laughter was like music to my ears. This was the way I wanted Rose to always be. Happy and carefree and in love._

 _God knows that woman more than deserved it._

 _There would be no more talk about the guardian combine that night, but I knew it wouldn't be our last conversation._

 _*End Flashback*_

After finishing our breakfast and packing Bash a small bag, I decided to head over to the gym.

Thanks to the recent move, we had a surplus of Guardians, so Christian managed to get me a little time off. Both he and Lissa had their hands full with the twins, which meant I got to spend quality time with Bash.

As far as babies go, he was incredibly low maintenance, and I secretly thanked God for that. As much as I loved Roza and her spontaneous nature, she was more than enough to handle. Lucky for me Bash had a more relaxed disposition.

I was also grateful that this move had brought us closer to home since it meant that my family could help out. My mother would be arriving from Baia late tonight, and it was a huge weight off of Rose and my shoulders. This move had meant a lot of extra work on our parts, and it was a comfort to know Bash was in good hands.

The walk over to the gym was a leisurely one and it gave me a lot of time to think. I couldn't help but notice as I made my way across the quad, all the not so subtle changes they had made. The recent expansions and additional housing gave St. Basils an entirely different feel. Buildings that were once classrooms were now little shops and restaurants that seemed to have popped up overnight. With every passing day it resembled less of an academy, and more of the Royal Court it had once been.

Initially I'd been sure that all the changes would bother me, but the truth was I found it quite refreshing. Seeing it this way I could almost imagine that this wasn't the same place I'd met Ivan.

I was nearly to the gym when I passed by a large office, and head Han's bellow out into the hall.

"Hey Belikov you got a second?" I heard him call out, and I knew it was more of an order than a request.

When I entered the room, I found it just like I remembered, right down to the outdated upholstery. It was an office I'd visited more than once in my youth, usually to answer for my part in Ivan's schemes.

"Guardian Croft" I answered formally as I stepped through the door, but when I found there caught me slightly off guard.

Not only was the room itself familiar, but so were the two men standing in it.

All three of them were hovered around a large mahogany table that was currently covered in blueprints.

"Guardian Belikov" Hans answered gruffly glancing up from the table and he looked as though he hadn't slept in weeks. "I'd like you to meet Guardian Sasha Novak and this is his son Peter. They've been in charge of things here at the academy for the past several years and have agreed to help make this a smooth transition for everyone."

The younger of the two men grinned at me broadly before reaching over to firmly shake hands.

"Well if it isn't the late, great, Dimitri Belikov. And back from the dead no less! You're looking good my old friend. Restoration seems to agree with you."

I'd forgotten until this moment what an ass he could be, and his father seemed mortified by the reminder.

"Peter!" His father scolded with a look of disgrace. "You were raised with better manners than that! Dimitri I apologize on behalf of my son. You know he's always had more skill than sense."

"Ouch" Peter said, clutching his heart like he was wounded, but Sasha and I both chose to ignore him.

"No apology necessary" I reassured him with a laugh and Han's continued to watch the whole exchange with confusion.

"I take it the three of you already know one another?" And Peter let out a humorless laugh.

All three of our heads turned to look at him in unison, and Peter rolled his eyes in response.

"Let's just say that Belikov here is the son my father always wanted."

"That's enough." His father scolded and this time his voice was stern.

Holding up his hands in a gesture of defeat, he shook his head playfully and laughed.

"Alright alright Old man, have it your way. Just know that denial is more than a river in Egypt." He winked.

Up until now, Bash had been waiting for me patiently, but his sudden squirming was a sign he'd reached his limit. He was strapped into a carrier on the front of my chest but was unhappy with the current lack of movement.

"What's with the sidekick?" Peter asked, eyeing Bash with curiosity. "They couldn't find you a more suitable guarding partner? Oh how the mighty have fallen" He laughed. "Although I bet the kid is a real chick magnet."

He leaned in a little closer to get a better look at Sebastian and it surprised me when Bash started to wail. In the three months since he was born, he cried a handful of times, and only when he had a good reason.

"Shhhh" I murmured softly as I bounced him up and down, but his cries only grew louder in protest.

"I should get going." I called out over my still screaming son, and Hans nodded eagerly in agreement.

"I should go too" Peter laughed. "I wouldn't want to be late."

And then he quickly exited the room.

The moment he was gone, Sebastian stopped screaming, as if Peters absence had been some secret cue.

 _How odd…_

"Where was he off to in such a hurry?" I asked the two remaining men; both of whom had gone back to studying blueprints.

"The guardian combine" Sasha answered, never bothering to look up. But this news certainly caught Han's attention.

His eyes darted up and a silent message passed between us.

 _There was no way that this was going to end up well._

Peter's sense of entitlement and abrasive nature would test even the patience of a saint. And when you factored in that Rose had even less patience than most, it was pretty much a recipe for disaster.

"I'm not entirely sure that your son is the right fit…" Han's said carefully and Sasha's head whipped around in response.

"And what exactly does that mean?" Sasha asked abandoning the blue prints.

 _Talk about an uncomfortable conversation…_

How do you tell his man his son's a showboating ego maniac, who generally doesn't play well with others?

"I'm just not sure it's in everyone's best interest." Hans answered vaguely.

 _Apparently he didn't know how to tell Sasha that either._

"And I'm not sure moving the Royal Court was in everyone's best interest. But we're all going to have to make a few sacrifices."

"Not if those sacrifices might compromise the Queen's safety." Hans countered.

He wasn't the type to back down from a threat.

"And they won't. My son may have poor manners, but he's one hell of a fighter. The Royal Guard would be lucky to have him."

Both men continued to stand there glaring back at one another, and the tension it created was almost palpable.

"While I appreciate your input, let me remind you Guardian Novak; this institution now falls under my jurisdiction."

The statement was Hans way of asserting his dominance, but in many ways it was simply a hollow threat.

For the people that grew up here, Novak would always be their leader. Our arrival here for court didn't change that. For the last 20 years he'd been keeping people safe.

Could Hans say the same thing for his old post?

"I'm not sure how you did things over there in America, but in Russia we do things a little differently. There is a loyalty among us you won't find anywhere else, and its contributed largely to all of our success. We reward the good and punish the bad, and there are no such things as second chances. Say what you will about him, but my son is a skilled fighter, and he has more than earned his place on the Royal Guard. Anything less than that is simply unacceptable."

 _Yeah this definitely wasn't going to end up well…_

With the both of them dead locked, I quietly slipped out. I had no desire to be a part of that argument.

Tensions among the guardians here had been high enough lately, and it seemed like you were always stepping on someone else's toes. Moving the court mean that the power also shifted, and not everyone was happy with the results.

There were too many chiefs right now, and not enough Indians. At least that's what my mother would have said.

Maintaining the peace now was a vital necessity unless we wanted a civil war on our hands.

Just the thought of all that blood shed had me spiraling into rage, and I knew that I was needed in the gym. I was the only person with a prayer of talking Rose off of the ledge that I was certain Peter was about to push her onto.

 _Of course having a little back up couldn't hurt._

Rose was known for her tendency to lash out in fits of anger, and there was no telling how much damage she could do.

After a quick phone call to Adrian, and his promise to meet me there, I took a moment to reign my own anger in.

But even after calming down, I still had a sense of dread that filled me with the urge to take off springing for the hall. I turned on my heels and was about to take off running, but stopped cold when I heard the voice behind me.

"Dimitri?" She asked, and I froze in my tracks; terrified to turn around and face her.

It had been years since I had seen her, but I know that voice anywhere. That voice and the face that went along with it…

With her wavy blond hair and those emerald green eyes, she looked exactly the way I remembered.

"Hello Ophelia."

* * *

 **Okay friends, the second chapter has been posted! And there are plenty of new things to talk about!**

 **What are your thoughts on Dimitri and the Novaks?**

 **Do you think he's right about Rose not liking Peter?**

 **And who on earth do you think Ophelia is?**

 **Sound off below in the reviews : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**DPOV**

"What are you doing here?" Ophelia asked stepping forward for a hug, but she stopped short when she caught sight of Sebastian.

His screaming may have stopped, but he was eyeing her curiously and she seemed to be doing the same.

"Who's your friend?" She asked letting Bash grab her finger and his small hand closed around it with excitement. Shaking things had become his most recent favorite past time and he proceed to shake Ophelia's finger like a rattle.

His over excitement was enough to make her laugh lightly in response, and the sound was like a knife straight through the heart. Hell, even the mere sight of her hurt for more reasons than I could count.

This was exactly the kind of thing I'd be afraid of…

"Well?" Ophelia asked looking from Bash to me expectantly.

Clearly she was still waiting for my response.

It had been years since I had seen her, or even thought of her for that matter.

So why was telling her that I had a baby now so hard?

"He's my son." I answered honestly and her eyes widened in surprise.

And now it was her turn to be speechless.

"Wow" She murmured softly once the shock had worn off. "Then I guess congratulations are in order."

I didn't miss the way her face fell after spotting my wedding band, but she handled that shock gracefully as well.

For one of the longest minutes of my life we stood together in total silence; neither of us quite sure what to say. An apology seemed like a good place to start, but to be honest; I wouldn't even know where to begin.

 _Hey remember that time we fell in love when we were kids and then our weekend together got your brother killed? Or how about all those fun times after that when we started resenting one another so I took a transfer without even bothering to say goodbye. Well my bad._

Obviously saying those things were all out of the question, so I opted for a classic line instead.

"So how have you been?" I asked awkwardly and she smiled in amusement.

"Apparently nowhere near as well as you."

Without even knowing I'd been holding my breath, I let out a heavy sigh of relief. The Zeklos family had always relied on bad jokes to relieve tension, and it was nice to know that not everything had changed.

"The truth is I'm actually doing well. I just finished medical school and am now working at the court clinic. It's nothing as exciting as a former Strigoi turned father, but all in all I suppose I can't really complain."

"Nor should you want to." I laughed easily. "Besides an exciting life can be a little over rated."

 _And boy was that true…_

These last five years had been a whirlwind of chaos and I didn't see any signs of it slowing down anytime soon.

"So where were you headed?" She asked motioning down the long hall and it reminded me of where I was really needed.

"Actually I was on my way to the gym."

"Ahh yes" She smiled. "The guardian combine. "And then she fell into an easy step beside me.

Unlike my Roza, Ophelia was quite tall and she didn't struggle nearly as much to keep my pace.

"You know I heard about that and the woman who's running it. A Guardian Holloway I think, or maybe it was Hathaway. Either way, the rumor is she's a real bad ass. Ever heard of her?"

A slow goofy grin spread widely across my cheeks as I thought of my beautiful wife with pride.

 _My sweet and talented Roza._

Her reputation had preceded her once more.

"She's one of the best." I answered with pride, and beside me Ophelia let out a loud laugh.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that she's your wife."

"Is it that obvious?" I asked with mock shame.

"Yes, but then I've always been good at reading you."

 _And it was true._

When it came to Ophelia, there was no such thing as secrets. I'd never been able to keep anything from her.

"So does this mystery wife of yours have a name?" She asked wistfully, and my mock shame became the real deal.

Apart from Roza I had only ever loved one other woman, and it felt odd to be talking to her like this now.

 _In fact, should I even be having this conversation?_

And suddenly I was drowning in guilt

"Hey" She spoke up softly as she pulled me to a stop and then she placed a soothing hand onto my forearm.

Clearly she had picked up on my discomfort.

"I'm really happy for you" she continued with sincerity. "You deserve this after everything that's happened."

Her kindness was one of the many things that once made me fall in love with her, but these days it was just another painful reminder.

"He was your brother Ophelia; you deserve happiness too."

"And I have every confidence that one day I will find it."

 _I certainly hoped so._

But when I opened my mouth to tell her as much, I was cut off by the commotion behind me.

"Dude, where's the fire?" I heard Adrian ask as Han's came barreling past him.

He was a man on a mission and hot on his trail I spotted Guardian Novak as well. They were like two bulls in a china shop when they came tearing down the hall, with little disregard for anything in their path. I barely had a chance to yank Ophelia aside so she wouldn't be trampled in the process.

"What's going on?" I called out as I quickened my pace and my senses were now on high alert.

Surely we weren't having another crisis already. We'd barely even been here for a week!

"What's his problem?" Adrian asked, his voice laced with annoyance. But neither Ophelia nor I had much to go on. Judging by the slew of profanities he kept mumbling to himself, the only thing I knew for certain was he was pissed.

"Sir?" I asked again, but he still didn't answer and I could slowly feel my patience begin to crack.

"Guardian Croft." I said again, this time with more force and he surprised me when he spun around on his heels.

"It's that wife of your Belikov! I swear she'll be the death of me!"

And then he angrily threw open the gym doors.

In the few seconds that I had, I tried preparing for anything, but even so the sight before me left me shell shocked.

A large mob had formed in the middle of the gym, and at the center of it stood Peter and Rose. Now that part wasn't shocking; I'd expected as much. It was Rose's appearance that I wasn't prepared for.

Her previously tight bun was a half hanging mess and one of the straps on her tank top had been torn off. That alone was enough to give me cause for alarm, but she had a black eye and busted lip as well.

Now I'd seen Rose involved in some rough sparring matches before, but one look at her face told me this fight was different.

But then that didn't mean this fight was unfamiliar because it was; more familiar than I really cared to remember.

Suddenly and without permission, my mind flashed on another memory of a time I'd seen Rose in a similar position. As the memory became clearer, my current surroundings began to shift and I soon found myself in Rose's bedroom at Galina's estate. It was the same room where I'd held her captive while trying to seducing her into turning and just the sight of it sent me into a blind rage.

I'd spent weeks in that room slowly draining the life of her; painfully and methodically robbing her of her free will.

I can still remember with vivid clarity how weak and fragile she appeared the night that Nathan had assaulted and nearly killed her.

One of the strongest women I'd ever known reduced to a crying and bloody mess, and all because I'd been a selfish monster.

 _A monster that Nathan had created._

After a cursory glance around the room, my eyes landed back on Peter who in this light looked an awful lot like Nathan…

I watched as he continued to slowly circle my wife and noticed he had several injuries of his own. Rose was battered and bloody, but Peter was as well. Of course he'd look a whole lot worse when I was done with him.

I didn't know specifics or how this fight had come to be, but the moment his hand struck out at Rose again, I lost it.

In the short time that it had taken for me to process this all, I already had Bash out of his carrier.

"Dimitri, don't." Adrian cautioned as I handed him my son, who he just as quickly handed over to Ophelia. She took him without question and without really understanding what was happening or even worse what was about to happen.

But Adrian understood.

He scrambled to grab my arm in a poor effort to restrain me, but deep down he had to know that he never stood a chance. With little effort on my part and nearly zero resistance, I closed the gap between Peter and Myself.

He barely had a chance to even register my sudden appearance before my hand firmly wrapped around the back of his neck. He yelped out in protest when his body hit the ground hard, and then I quickly yanked him back onto his feet.

"What the hell!" He cried out before my fist found his face and blood spurted from his nose like a fountain.

"Belikov Stop!" Hans barked, but by now it was too late. Everything in my field of vision was now red.

Over and over I pulled my fist back and released; satisfied by every bone I heard crunch. I was vaguely aware of the commotion around me and the frantic efforts of those trying to pull me off. But each time I looked at Peter, I thought about him striking Rose and then another wave of rage would swallow me whole.

How many times had the world tried to hurt Rose and how many times had I been powerless to stop it?

 _Well no more._

This time it was different because this time I could fight back.

And so that's what I continued to do.

It wasn't until I felt Rose place her small hand over my shoulder that I finally stopped my assault to look up at her. Her warm brown eyes were now wide with concern, and if I'm not mistaken I think I even saw some fear.

Below me Peter coughed up several fountains of blood, but I barely even spared the sound a second glance. My eyes remained focused on the woman that I love as she tentatively reached her small hand towards my face.

"I'm okay." She said softly, brushing the hair back from my face. "I'm okay and I need you to stop now."

I glanced around the room at the guardians assembled there and the fear that was etched on every face. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at me like I was a monster, but that's exactly how they were looking at me now.

I turned my gaze back to Rose feeling devastated and ashamed, before finally releasing my death hold on Peter's body. The moment he was free, a group of guardians swooped in and quickly carried his body away to safety.

I sunk back on my heels and brought my hands up to my face but was horrified by the sight of so much blood. My eyes darted back to Rose as I quickly began to panic and she quickly dropped down on her knees beside me.

"It's okay." She murmured kindly as her hands firmly gripped my face. "I promise Dimitri, it's all going to be okay."

* * *

 **Reviews my dear friends. Lots and lots of reviews. If I feel motivated enough I might try to post the next chapter tomorrow! : )**


	4. Chapter 4

**RPOV**

I paced back and forth feeling like a caged tiger, just trying to understand how all this happened.

 _How the hell had things escalated so quickly?_

One minute I was running a perfectly normal training session, and the next thing I knew, Dimitri had put a man in the hospital!

* * *

 _*Flashback*_

 _"Good morning everyone. My name is Guardian Rose Hathaway and I will be conducting today's events. As many of you know, we are rebuilding the royal guard and I know many of you are eager to be a part of that. Unfortunately there are only a limited number of spots available and not everyone is going to make the cut. Now for those of you that don't make it, please don't be discouraged. There are still a number of positions that need filling around court, including a few spots on the Kings guard as well. With that being said, I'd like you to pair off into groups and we will start with a standardized timed run. The ten guardians with the lowest finish times will then be asked to leave."_

 _I noticed a number of seasoned guardians looking around the room nervously and I knew Dimitri had been right about the basics._

 _I was just about to ask if anyone had any questions when I heard the sound of the gym doors slamming closed behind me._

 _A tall man sauntered over, looking completely unabashed, and not the least bit concerned about being late. When he moved closer I noticed he was as tall as Dimitri and built nearly the same way as well. But unlike Dimitri, this guy radiated arrogance and I immediately found myself hating him just on principle._

 _"You're late" I said flatly, trying to keep my tone neutral. But it was hard with the way he was smirking at me._

 _"And you…" he began, moving closer through the crowd "…are even hotter than I expected you to be."_

 _A flurry of snickers erupted from several of the men in attendance, while a few of the women rolled their eyes in disgust._

 _"I beg your pardon?" I asked through gritted teeth, but that smug son of a bitch just shrugged and smiled._

 _"Trust me Sweetheart; you don't have to beg me for a thing."_

 _And his cheeky response seemed to egg on even more laughter._

 _Now as a general rule, I tried not to deck strangers, but for this guy I might be willing to make an exception._

 _But Janine's words echoed in my head and I remembered what was at stake, so I dug deep and managed to find some self-restraint._

 _Oh now I wished my mother could see me now!_

 _When my stony glare made it clear that I wasn't amused, he held his hands up as a sign of surrender._

 _"All I meant was guys talk and so word about you got around. But those words didn't do your body justice. It's a compliment really; you should be flattered."_

 _Flattered that some tool found me attractive?_

 _I think not._

 _From somewhere in the crowd I heard a woman snort loudly and the tool's head whipped around in her direction. She was attractive, I'd give her that. But she had incredibly fair skin. In fact her complexion was very similar to that of a Moroi. If it wasn't for the lack of fangs, I would have sworn she was one._

 _A silent angry message seemed to pass between them both before the woman turned away from the tool in disgust._

 _Hmm…I'd bet money there was a good story there._

 _"Well did word also get around that I'm not in the habit of taking shit? Because you should probably know that if you're going to continue talking."_

 _My own snarky response started a new round of snickers; this time from men and women alike._

 _The tool glared at a few men who quickly stifled their laughter, but I was still satisfied now that I'd made my point._

 _Hot or not, I wasn't a woman to be trifled with. These men would do well to remember that._

 _"So do you have a name Casanova, or should I just call you the tool. Personally I am fine with either one."_

 _"The name's Novak" he said smugly with an air of self-importance._

 _But the name didn't mean a damn thing to me._

 _"Yeah well okay then Novak, why don't you find yourself a group. We were just getting ready to do a run."_

 _"A run?" He asked like it was some alien concept. "Why the hell would we need to practice that? Running is a Moroi's job; us Guardians stay and fight."_

 _He looked quite pleased with himself when a few mumbled in agreement, and I felt my previous anger begin to bubble up to the surface._

 _"It's called endurance you asshole. Ever heard of it?"_

 _Every head in the room was now staring at Lucy Chandler, but she just to glare at Novak in defiance._

 _That's my girl!_

 _And I had to work hard to stifle my own amusement with her._

 _"While I'm sure Guardian Chandler could have found a more elegant way of saying it, she wasn't wrong about my motives or my reasoning. If you've ever fought a real Strigoi then surely you're aware, sometimes the fighting can get a little long winded. That is where having endurance kicks in." I explained._

 _"No offense Guardian Hathaway, but if fighting takes you that long, then maybe you're just not doing it right."_

 _A few of Novak's groupies snickered beside him in amusement and my urge to deck the guy returned with a vengeance._

 _I wondered how much trouble I'd get into for that anyway. Surely the punishment wouldn't be too severe right...?_

 _"I'll tell you what" I started after I found a new solution. "How about a sparring match right now. If you win, we skip the run and do the rest of this training your way."_

 _"And if I lose?" He chuckled lightly as if the mere thought of it was impossible._

 _"Then you shut up and do whatever the hell I tell you. No more commentary."_

 _His eyes were now sparkling with obvious excitement and he extended his hand to shake mine._

 _"Guardian Hathaway, you have got yourself a deal."_

 _The moment I got a look at his sloppy starting stance, I knew this fight would be over in mere seconds._

 _At the sound of the whistle, he charged forward like a bull, throwing all his weight behind his lunge. His posture was too rigid and it left him unbalanced, making it all that much easier to knock him off his feet. Once his back hit the mat, I pinned his hands down with my feet, and swiftly brought my stake down over his heart._

 _The whole exchange had taken me less than 12 seconds…_

 _Several voices in the crowd let out gasps of surprise, and it was impossible not to feel a little smug about it._

 _The second my feet released his hands, he sprung lightly to his feet; radiating an all-encompassing rage._

 _"What the hell was that?" he spat, rubbing his sore hands. "That wasn't a regulation move!"_

 _"And this wasn't a regulation fight. It was meant to serve as a simulation of fighting a Strigoi, and trust me; they don't care about regulation moves either. Being on the guard isn't like a post at the academy. You're going to see action on a fairly regular basis, and it's my job to make sure you're prepared for that. You can be the best damn guardian this academy has ever seen, but in the real world that title doesn't mean shit, you got that?"_

 _He glared back at me like he wished I was on fire before letting out a loud and angry huff._

 _"Fine" he grumbled. "Best 2 out of 3." And then he crouched back into his crappy stance._

 _I was more than confident that we'd end up with the exact same result, but decided it wouldn't hurt to humor him anyway._

 _This time he lunged low, aiming for my knees in what looked like a defensive football tackle. But I used my own momentum and his shoulders as a base to help, and flipped myself over and behind him. The second my feet hit the ground, I pulled out my stake and simulated piercing his heart from behind._

 _The poor shmuck never even saw it coming._

 _If he looked angry before, now he was downright murderous; especially when a few people laughed._

 _"Best 3 out of 5" he growled through gritted teeth, but honestly I just didn't see the point._

 _"I think you've had enough embarrassment for one day, and I'd really like to get started on that run."_

 _With my clipboard and timer lying just off the mat, I reached down to pick them both up._

 _"Rose!" Lucy shouted and I looked up in surprise, just as Novak came barreling into me. My head hit the floor hard thanks to the impact from the fall and seconds later his fist connected with my face._

 _Everything after that is still a blur…_

 _*End Flashback*_

* * *

"Guardian Hathaway, they're ready for you." A small voice spoke up, and I recognized the pale angry woman from the gym.

"I did my best in there; I just hope it was enough. Peter deserved everything he got in there and more."

"Thank you" I replied and she gave me a kind smile; one that I gladly returned.

Walking into the large office was like walking into a time machine, and suddenly I was 16 again.

I'd spent most of my youth in Head Mistress Kirova's office, getting chastised for one thing or another. And something told me that this time would be no different.

Sure Novak had started the fight, but I could have ended it. But once again I'd let my anger get the best of me.

Sometimes I wondered if I'd ever grow up, or if I was doomed to be this impetuous forever…

"Guardian Croft" I said politely, addressing the man behind the desk and nodded formally at the one I didn't know.

"Close the door" Han's said grimly right before I took my seat, and once I had, I mentally braced myself for the worst.

"Hathaway, this is Guardian Novak; the former head of this academy. And he has a few questions about that train wreck you called a training session."

 _Another Novak huh?_

Well that explained a lot.

So I recounted the day's events for him in detail.

"That's quite a story Guardian Hathaway, although I don't quite believe it. I happen to know my son has more self control than that."

 _Total Bullshit!_ I thought.

But of course he would believe that! Most parents weren't as critical as my own mother.

"Then maybe I caught your son on a bad day, who knows. All I can do is tell you that's what happened."

"Even if that were true, and I'm not saying that it is; it was your responsibility to keep my son in line. How do you expect to manage the entire royal guard when you can't even get one man to follow orders?"

I stared across the room at some man I didn't know; a man who was giving voice to all my worst fears.

Was Han's wrong after all about thinking I could do this?

Was Dimitri mistaken when he called me a born leader?

 _Oh Dimitri…my sweet Comrade._

I wonder where he is right now.

No doubt off somewhere beating himself up over this. I'd seen it in his eyes when I stopped him in the gym. This was exactly the kind of thing I'd been afraid of.

And in that moment, I hated Novak even more.

"Guardian Novak, I'd like you to know I take full responsibility for my part in this, but poor leadership doesn't excuse your son's behavior. He walked into that gym with a poor attitude, feeling entitled and unwilling to follow orders. Being a member of my guard means being a team player; something that your son is clearly not. Today was meant to serve as a chance for guardians to showcase their skills, and all your son showed me with his arrogance and disrespect. Maye you tolerated that kind of showboating on your watch, but I'm here to tell you I won't tolerate it on mine."

The older man raised his eyebrows in a look of surprise before turning his attention to Hans for backup.

"Are you going to say anything about this?" He asked through his irritation, but Hans didn't look like he was about to disagree with me.

"I'm sorry Novak, but she's right. And ultimately it's her call. I'm afraid your son has no place on that guard."

For an immeasurable amount of time, he stood there staring and seething, as if somehow that would make us change our mind.

Well NOPE!

That man was an ass, and he wasn't getting anywhere near Lissa. You'd have to kill me before I put her life in his hands!

"Unbelievable!" He shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. "I suppose Belikov will go unpunished for his role as well?"

The way he spat out Dimitri's name made me want to leap up and slap him, but I figured there'd been enough violence for one day.

"And here I thought you liked Belikov" Han's reminded the man.

 _Wait, was he saying that this asshole knew Dimitri?_

"My feelings towards Dimitri Belikov are irrelevant right now. He crossed a line and he needs to be punished for it.

"The same argument could be made about your son you know, but you don't hear me crying out for retribution!"

His icy glare shifted from Hans back to me, but I wasn't someone who was easily intimidated.

"Look Dimitri took things too far; I can't argue with that. But if you really know him, you know he's already regretting it. Being back in this place isn't easy for him, and you don't know the kind of hell that man's been through. He walked into day and saw a man assaulting his wife. I'd say he had a fairly typical reaction. My point is Dimitri's suffered enough, and punishing him isn't going to solve anything. Besides, he's a lot harder on himself than you could ever be, and only an asshole would want to make this worse for him. Are you an asshole Guardian Novak? Do you really want to be that guy?"

From the corner of my eye I caught Hans covering up a smirk, but Novak on the other hand was less amused.

"Watch yourself girl; you have no idea who you are messing with."

"Yeah well clearly you haven't heard the stories about me either."

I rose from my chair in a show of defiance until we were standing toe to toe.

"You should know that it would be a mistake to challenge me."

"Ugh; if I had a dollar for every time I heard that one." I muttered and this time Hans had to cough to cover up his laughter.

I was sure I was dead meat the minute Novak left this room, but at least in this moment he found me amusing.

Meanwhile Novak over here just continued to stare at me; growing pissed when he didn't get the desired response.

 _Sorry Buddy, but you've got nothing on Janine Hathaway._

Surviving a staring contest with her had made me pretty much invincible. He would have to do a lot better than that!

"This isn't over!" He sneered before he stalked out of the room, and the doors slammed closed behind him with finality.

* * *

 **Well now you know how this whole shebang started.**

 **What did you think about Peter and Rose's first encounter?**

 **How about her stand off with Peter's Dad?**

 **And what's the story with the angry girl from the gym? Any guesses?**

 **Sound off in the reviews and let me know what you think.**

 **And don't forget, your praise and inspiration always encourages me to update sooner : )**


	5. Chapter 5

**RPOV**

In a surprising show of mercy, Hans waited until we were alone before he completely laid into me for my mistakes. As unpleasant as it was, I knew I'd more than earned it, so I dutifully suffered through it all in silence.

Once the screaming had died down and he returned to a normal shade of pink, we agreed we'd hold the combine again tomorrow.

Only this time, he insisted on being present.

By the time I left his office, it was nearly 5pm and I pulled out my phone to check for messages.

Missed Calls:

 **Lissa (5)**

 **Abe (2)**

 **Janine (11)**

 **Adrian (1)**

 **Sydney (1)**

Seeing as the last two were in possession of my son, I figured it was best I call them first.

"It's about time you called back" Adrian answered on his end. "I was starting to think that Little Bash was now an orphan."

"Ha Ha" I said humorlessly. "Is your wife around? I'm not in the mood for your particular brand of sarcasm."

"Ouch, was it that bad? What am I saying, of course it was. Man I bet Han's totally ripped you a new one. Oh hey, how's Belikov holding up? He didn't answer our calls either. I figured the two of you were off licking each other's wounds."

Well it certainly would have been a more pleasant alternative.

Unfortunately for me, that wasn't the case at all.

In fact, I hadn't heard a peep out of Dimitri since this morning.

Once he'd fled the gym, I knew he wanted to be alone, and I probably couldn't even find him if I tried. At the old court back home, I knew all his stomping grounds, but for me this place was still uncharted territory. Dimitri on the other hand grew up around here, and could be hiding in any number of secret places. Rather than driving myself crazy trying to chase him all over court, I figured it was best to give im space.

I knew he'd come home when he was ready.

"Hello? Earth to Rose! Did you hear anything I just said?"

"I heard you; I just didn't feel like answering!" I shot back.

Now was probably not the best time for Adrian to challenge me.

"I'm not in the mood Adrian, so how about you cut the crap. And could you seriously just put Sydney on the phone?"

"Geez you're cranky…" He muttered on his end. "Hey Syd, the dragon lady is asking for you."

I couldn't help but smile when I heard him mutter ouch, and was pleased to know Sydney still remembered how to a decent punch.

"Rose, please forgive him. The man is a total idiot. I swear Daniella must have dropped him as a baby!"

"Hey!" Adrian protested loudly in the background, and their whole exchanged helped to lighten my mood a bit.

"Thanks for taking Bash today. I hope he wasn't any trouble."

I'd felt guilty asking since they had a newborn of their own.

"He was no trouble at all Rose; that boy never is. Although he didn't seem to have much of an appetite."

Well that was odd news; especially for B.

That kid had an appetite that rivaled my own.

"Is he feeling alright?" I asked in a panic. "Do you think I should take him to the clinic?"

"Relax Rose" Sydney chuckled. "I'm sure he's just fine. Maybe Dimitri fed him a large breakfast."

Her logic was sound so I tried to relax, but I made a mental note to look into this more later.

"You're probably right" I half laughed at myself. "But I'm headed over to pick him up now."

"Don't worry about it." She said. "Olena saved you the trip. She picked Bash up about an hour ago."

 _Olena?_

But I thought her train didn't get in until tonight.

Finally! Some good news after such a crappy day.

Olena was exactly what Dimitri needed.

"Sweet!" I squealed excitedly. "I hope that means she's making dinner!"

And I heard Sydney laughing on her end.

 _Hey, Bash may have lost his appetite, but I hadn't!_

"Thanks again for watching him." I told her with earnest.

"Anytime" She chuckled lightly and then hung up.

 _Thank God for good friends and In-laws!_

Who knows where I'd be without them.

Knowing that Olena was home, and with any luck in my kitchen, made me want to take off sprinting across the quad. But it had been more than 24 hours since I'd checked in on Lissa and I was pretty anxious to go see my baby dragons.

I took the steps up to her door at least two at a time, trying and failing to contain my excitement. The guardians standing watch both smirked slightly at my exuberance, but silently stepped out of my way. My unannounced visits were a regular thing, and they knew well enough not to question me.

Our schedules had been so crazy since we landed in the Tundra, and I couldn't wait until things finally went back to normal.

"Knock knock" I said softly as I pushed open the front door. I didn't want to risk waking the twins.

In the living room I found Christian sprawled out on their large couch, while Lissa was busy pacing the room and rocking Dominic. Both of them looked like they hadn't slept in years, or even showered judging by their food stained shirts.

Ahh the joys of new motherhood; I remembered it well. Dimitri and I had been the same way.

"Well if it isn't Rocky Balboa" Christian smirked from the couch. "I hear you're making new friends already."

"Oh give me a break Sparky, the guy was an ass. Believe me; you would have hit him too."

Crossing their large living room I walked over to Liss, and took a fussy Dominic from her hands. She smiled gratefully back at me before collapsing on the couch, and Christian put his free arm around her. She gazed lovingly back down at the sleeping baby in his arms before leaning her head back with closed eyes.

Appearance wise Dominic looked a carbon copy of Christian, except he had Lissa's jade green eyes.

Dylan on the other hand was the spitting image of Lissa, right down to the platinum blonde hair. Both of them were beautiful beyond reason.

It seemed the twins were even duplicates of their parent's personalities, and poor Dominic had Christian's prickly disposition.

"Alright kid, it's time to cool it; you're not fooling anyone. I think we both know just how tired you really are."

His little eyes blinked with what looked like understanding and an awareness that no kid his age should have.

"Do you parent's a solid and take a nap why don't you."

"Pfft" Christian snorted. "Like that will ever work. I'm half convinced this kid doesn't even need to sleep."

But Dominic's jade eyes made it clear he understood, and with a yawn, he finally relented and closed his eyes.

"Ha!" I exclaimed and his eyes flew back open, but I was able to quickly soothe them closed again. "There, you see that?" I asked a little quieter that time. "From now on, you shall refer to me as the baby whisperer."

And both of them laughed in weary amusement.

Once I was confident that Dom was out for the count, I took a seat across from them on the sofa.

"Okay then baby whisperer, are you gonna tell us what happened? We heard about Dimitri hulking out."

Christian had never been the type to politely beat around the bush; a fact I simultaneously loved and hated about him.

"Christian!" Lissa chastised, but I knew even she was curious. So I let out a heavy sigh of defeat.

"There's not much to tell except the guy was an ass, and I guess I let things get a little too out of hand. He was giving me a hard time so I embarrassed him a bit, and let's just say that he didn't take it well. We started to fight and then Dimitri walked in, and whatever he saw then made him snap."

"Can you blame him?" Christian asked. "I mean, look at your face."

And this time Lissa gave him a sharp elbow.

It wasn't until that moment that it occurred to me, I'd never even bothered to check my injuries.

In the grand scheme of things, I really wasn't too concerned. Especially after all the chaos that followed after.

Without even thinking my hand traveled to my face, and I winced when I made contact with the skin.

"Does it hurt?" Lissa asked, her face now etched with concern; and I didn't need the bond to know where this was going.

"Liss we've talked about this; were not able to waste your magic. Especially on a few bumps and bruises."

She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, trying her hardest not to argue. Like Dimitri, she found it difficult to see me in pain.

"Liss I'm fine." I reassured her. "It's Dimitri I'm worried about."

And I could practically see the light go on above her head.

"If you're really worried about him, you should probably let me heal you; otherwise your injuries are just a reminder of what happened."

 _Damn her and her logic…_

"Ha!" Christian laughed. "My girls got you there"

And I hated to admit that she was right.

Sitting beside Christian, Lissa sat there smug and smiling. She knew it was only a matter of time now.

I knew the price she paid for using magic, and it was painful for me to see. But it pained me even more when Dimitri suffered.

"Alright Queenie; I guess you win this round."

And she clapped her hands together with excitement.

Once my face had healed, Christian sent me on my way; clearly anxious for some alone time with Lissa. For him, watching her use magic was like some creepy aphrodisiac, and I was glad I was no longer privy to their sex life.

The housing situation here was very different than back at home, but I still had Lissa close enough for comfort. Her new home was in a building that housed the royal guard as well.

All with the exception of me.

A newer set of townhouses had been constructed behind her building; a perk for all the higher ranking officials. Once I'd gotten over the fact that Hans Croft would be my neighbor, I decided it was still a pretty sweet deal.

The houses formed a semi-circle around the back of Lissa's building and a beautifully landscaped garden sat in the middle. There were a variety of flowers, some I couldn't even name, and a large fountain that doubled as a pond. A pair of swans glided gracefully across the water's surface and should I want to, I could admire them from a bench.

In short, this place was pretty much perfect.

I was just about to turn the corner leading the way up to my door, when I noticed a familiar woman on one of the benches. I'd only seen her once, but I was certain it was her; the same woman I saw holding Bash this morning.

I looked anxiously at my front door where I knew Bash and Olena waited, but as usual my curiosity got the best of me.

"Excuse me" I spoke up trying not to startle her. But it was hard since she'd been sitting with her back to me.

My sudden appearance made her jump, but she recovered fairly quickly, and she gave me a polite smile in return.

From this distance I couldn't help noticing how incredibly beautiful she was or the fact that she had the kindest eyes; emerald eyes even more green than Adrian's.

But it was her demeanor however that really caught my attention, and the easy grace from which she seemed to carry herself. There was something about it that reminded me of a great deal of Lissa and it immediately softened me to this stranger.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but you look so familiar. Is it possible that we've ever met before?"

I saw a flash of something that looked like guilt before she shook her head no and answered.

"We've never met officially, but I have seen you before…it was earlier this morning in the gym."

 _So I was right!_

But there was something about her tone that made it clear she was uncomfortable, and I wondered if it was from the violence she had witnessed.

"I thought that was you, and I wanted to say thanks. I saw you holding my son during all the chaos."

"He's a beautiful boy" She replied with a tentative smile. "He looks a great deal like his father."

 _His father huh?_

"So you know Dimitri?" I asked.

This was turning in to quite the new development.

"Yes" she smiled fondly. "We grew up together here."

And a million questions suddenly sprang up in my mind.

"No kidding!" I laughed. "Then I bet you've got some stories!"

This was the one part of living in Russia I'd been excited about.

She chuckled lightly at my excitement as I Rose to my feet, and I extended my hand in greeting to shake hers.

"Rose Hathaway" I said and she gave me a kind smile; the kind of smile that was impossible not to return.

"It's a pleasure meeting you Rose. I'm Ophelia Zeklos."

And that's when my jaw hit the ground.

* * *

 **Well we finally got a chance to check in on the rest of them. What does everyone think about the twins?**

 **How much do you think Rose knows about Dimitri's past with Ophelia?**

 **And guesses on what's going to happen next?**

 **Sound off in the reviews! : )**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ophelia's Pov**

How the hell had I managed to get into this mess? And how the hell was I going to get myself out of it?

Just moments ago I'd been sitting on a park bench outside and now I was standing in Dimitri's living room.

 _I really should have stayed in bed today…_

From the moment I'd run into Dimitri this morning, my whole day had pretty much gone to shit. I suppose it was my own fault that I was standing here now, given the way I'd shown up here.

But as usual my curiosity just wouldn't be silenced, and my brain seemed to be stuck on instant replay. Over and over I re-watched the same scene; trying and failing to understand it.

The Dimitri Belikov I knew had a kind and gentle soul and the most annoying self-control known to man.

 _Trust me, I would know._

I'd spent most of our youth trying to corrupt him, but the man's self-control knew no equal.

It was infuriating.

It was also the reason I'd left feeling so confused.

His reaction this morning had been so out of character, and if I'm being honest, I even found it a little frightening. I'd seen him angry before, and sure it'd lead to some fights, but there was something about this fight that looked different. There was a hatred in his eyes that made him look unhinged; lost beyond the point of all reason.

The shock of seeing him that way had more or less left me speechless and he was long gone by the time words returned to me.

I suppose THAT'S how I'd ended up on his doorstep.

I'd come here looking for him, armed with questions and concerns. But the moment I actually got here, I chickened out.

I mean what right did I have to show up here this way and demand that he answer all my questions? How any years had it been since I'd seen him?

He'd been out in the world, clearly living his life. His wife and new baby were proof of that.

But he'd also been out working as a guardian as well, and God only knows what kind of horrors he'd endured. We'd all heard the stories about when he'd be turned, and his miraculous return to the living. It was incredible to say the least, but only a naïve person would believe that the experience had left him all sunshine and rainbows.

His behavior today made that pretty clear.

Once I'd worked that all out, it was clear I should leave. Of course that was when Rose Hathaway had shown up. Her eyes lit up with recognition after hearing my name and seconds later she was dragging me through her front door.

The first thing that I noticed after stepping inside was the unmistakable scent of Olena's cooking.

 _Her famous black bread if I remembered it correctly._

And then I knew things had just gotten a lot more complicated.

"Mama?" Rose called out as we stepped through the front door.

"Up here" Olena called back from above us.

"They're probably in Bash's nursery" Rose said by way of explanation. "But go ahead and make yourself at home."

In the blink of an eye, she was half of the stairs, so I mindlessly wandered into the living room.

Despite its large size, it had a rustic, cozy feel, and I immediately spotted several signs of Dimitri.

There was a heavy oak bookcase that covered one wall, and housed at least several dozen westerns.

 _I can't believe he's still readying that crap!_

The living room sofas were a warm chocolate brown, and they contrasted nicely with the rich green colored walls.

 _Green had always been his favorite color._

And there on the coat rack was the old leather duster; the one Ivan bought him for his 18th birthday.

 _Man I hated that thing._

It was hideous and he worse the damn thing everywhere. Ivan got it as a joke to poke fun at his love of westerns. He never imagined that coat would take over his identity.

But my scan of the room stopped when I spotted the mantle and the assortment of framed pictures that adorned it.

The first one was of Rose and her majesty the Queen at what appeared to be some sort of graduation.

 _St. Vladimir's perhaps?_

I couldn't say for sure. But their gowns definitely looked to be the right color for it.

The next one I came to was of Rose and Dimitri who were both smiling brightly for the camera. They were wearing a set of very touristy looking t-shirts in front of a sign that read: WELCOME TO THE CORN PALACE.

 _What's a corn palace?_

It must be an American thing…

The next couple of photos included Dimitri's large family, and a man and woman who I assumed were Rose's parents.

And then came a string of more painful photographs…

Like their wedding day for instance; they were practically glowing. Even a blind man could have seen they were in love.

And there was another from a time during Rose's pregnancy, where Dimitri's large hands formed a heart over her belly.

By the time I reached the photo of their new family in the hospital, the sting was almost more than I could take.

They were sitting side by side on what was obviously a hospital bed; staring down at the blue bundle in Rose's arms. Even after labor Rose was painfully beautiful, and Dimitri looked as though he might just from pride.

It was such a tender moment; one that radiated happiness. And I had to believe even a saint might feel envious.

 _I know I did._

For just a glimmer of a second, I let myself believe that it was me instead of Rose in those photographs. It could have been me once, and who knows, it might have been.

But that was long before fate saw it fit to separate it.

Nearly 10 years later and I still couldn't help but wonder; just how different my life could have been if we'd stayed.

It was my fault that we hadn't; Dimitri told me we should wait. But as usual I only listened to myself.

How many times did Dimitri warn me leaving Ivan was a risk?

Especially after all of the trouble he'd stirred up.

But it was exactly for that reason that I'd insisted that we go. I just wanted to get a break from all the chaos. The summer was nearly over and then I'd be off to medical school. Our window of time together was closing fast and I felt like we really needed to make the most of it.

Looking back now, I should have never pressed the issue.

It was my own selfish wants and needs that got my twin brother killed, and my own guardian had gotten killed in the process. The only reason Sarah was even there was because I'd insisted on it. I thought it would help to put Dimitri's mind at ease.

 _And it had_.

Right up until the moment they all got killed.

I was still drowning in self-pity when came upon the last picture, and this one hit me like a heavy blow.

It was similar to the first picture that I'd seen atop the mantle, only this time Ivan and Dimitri were the graduates. You'd never guess it from the picture, but I was someone in the know, and I knew neither of them had a stitch on under their cap and gowns.

It was the price they had to pay for losing a bet the night before.

Drunken fools…

I don't think I'll ever forget the look on my father's face when Ivan showed up at graduation nearly naked, or Olena who looked completely scandalized.

My own mother on the other hand had thought the whole thing was hilarious. Ivan definitely got his sense of adventure from her…

Despite a heavy heart, I felt a small smile grace my face. It usually happened when I thought of Ivan fondly.

With his penchant for trouble, he was always in a pickle and poor Dimitri would get dragged in by association. The two of them would get into trouble, and I'd be left to get them out. It was a role I used to resent my brother for.

 _What I wouldn't give to be able to help him out of a bind now…_

It wasn't until that moment that it suddenly occurred to me; I had no clue what Rose knew about our past. Did Dimitri ever tell her, or was I simply Ivan's sister?

This was getting more uncomfortable by the second…

"Are you sure I shouldn't worry?" I heard Rose start to ask, and I knew that they were headed back down the stairs.

"This is the longest he's ever gone without eating something."

"4 hours?" Olena asked, chuckling with obvious amusement. "Roza most babies can go twice as long as that."

"Yeah well most babies aren't the offspring of a giant."

Olena's hearty laughter came through loudly from the hall and I knew that they were steadily drawing closer.

"I believe his mother has quite the appetite herself."

"Fair enough" Rose conceded, laughing along with her and together they both rounded the corner into the living room.

Rose was the one now carrying Bash, and considering Olena's reaction, that was probably a good thing. In the middle of the living room and standing as frozen as a statue, she looked like she was staring at a ghost.

"Ophelia?" She asked; her voice filled with disbelief.

And I gave her a tentative smile in response.

It turns out that a smile was the last thing she wanted to see, because her generally kind eyes darkened into rage.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Her voice that had been playful just moments ago was now fierce and seething with resentment.

I opened my mouth to make some sort of defense, but for the second time today, my words failed me. The longer I stayed silent, the angrier she became and I could actually see the moment when she reached her boiling point.

"Get out" she hissed. "Get out of this house. And don't you dare even think of coming back here."

The pure hatred in her tone gave her words some added burn, and I could feel the tears pooling in my eyes.

"I said get out!" she shouted and I scrambled into action, trying not to trip on my own feet in the process.

The last thing I heard before the door closed behind me was Rose and her frantic line of questioning.

If she didn't know the whole story before, she was about to find out. Olena Belikova would make damn sure about that.

* * *

 **I thought it was time we get to know Ophelia Zeklos a little better. And for those of you who were worried she'd be like Tasha, rest assured. Ophelia is an important part of Dimitri's recovery.**

 **It was also fun getting to write about Rose and Dimitri from someone else's perspective!**

 **What do you think about Ophelia now?**

 **And how about Olena going all Mama Bear on her!**

 **Sound off in the reviews plzzzz : )**


	7. Chapter 7

**RPOV**

Staring at the clock in Bash's dimly lit nursery, I began to wonder if this day would ever end.

From the moment that Peter Novak walked into my gym this morning, it had literally been one shit storm after the next.

And as if Dimitri going off the rails wasn't spectacle enough, I'd watched Olena lose her shit today as well.

 _I mean seriously, what the hell was that about?_

I'd known the woman for 5 years and never once in all that time had I ever seen her be so hateful to another human being. The woman was practically a saint for crying out loud!

Her crazy outburst just didn't make any sense to me.

I tried questioning her about it once Ophelia scurried off, but she nearly bit MY head off in the process! In a clipped tone she told me if I wanted to know more, then I really ought to talk to Dimitri.

And I planned to.

 _At least I would once he got his ass home._

I was 10pm and I still hadn't heard a peep. Any longer and I was going to lose all my patience.

 _Ha!_

Like I really had that much to begin with…

I'd spent the better part of our evening fielding calls from all our friends, and had to endure another lengthy lecture from my mother. In all honestly I would probably still be listening to her now if Abe hadn't intervened on my behalf. Once he made his position clear on thinking I was right to kick some ass, my mother shifted her annoyance onto him.

 _Poor Old Man_

I should probably call and thank him for that tomorrow.

There was also the matter of our son who was still refusing to eat, and me without the faintest clue as to why. Olena kept insisting that I shouldn't be worried yet, but my instincts were screaming something different. Dimitri was probably the only person on the planet with a prayer of convincing me otherwise, but he was still currently missing in action.

 _What an asshole._

I get that he's upset about what happened earlier today, but would it kill the man to pick up the telephone?

"Is he out?" Olena asked softly after appearing in the doorway and I glanced down at the baby in my arms.

His perfectly pink lips formed the shape of an 'O', and his long lashes fluttered against his tiny cheeks.

3 months later and I still couldn't believe that Dimitri and I had made something so perfect.

"Yes" I told Olena, dragging my eyes away from Bash. "He tuckered himself out about 10 minutes ago."

Olena smiled fondly at her grandson as I gently laid him in his crib, and we both took a step back to admire him. Personally I could have stood there watching Sebastian sleep all night, but Olena's voice broke through the quiet surrounding us.

"I'm sorry about today, and for the way that I reacted. I never should have snapped at you like I did."

She was my mother in law and I loved her, so I would never say as much; but it definitely hurt my feelings earlier when she did.

"Don't worry about it" I lied smoothly as we exited Bash's room, and I quietly pulled the door closed behind us.

"That's kind of you Roza, but I was way out of line. However I would like to explain if you're still interested."

 _Hell yeah I was!_

But something told me that this was going to get personal; maybe even too personal. And after a day that had filled with some many unpleasant surprises, did I really want to risk finding out anymore?

"I appreciate it Olena, truly I do. But an explanation really isn't necessary. Whatever your feelings toward Ophelia, they're completely your own business. You really don't owe me anything."

But Olena firmly shook her head in protest.

"But I do think it's necessary for a number of reasons; the most important of them being Dimitri. I know how worried you are, and I know I'm worried too; especially after seeing Ophelia. Her presence here really isn't good for him."

Okay, now I was more than a little intrigued.

"Tell me something Roza, how much do you know about Ophelia?"

"Not much" I admitted. "Only that she's Ivan's sister. But Dimitri mentioned they were all pretty close as kids."

Olena sighed heavily as we wandered into the kitchen, and then headed straight over to the wine rack.

"Have a seat" she instructed as she pulled down two glasses. "But first, I think we're going to need some wine."

* * *

2 hours and 2 bottles of wine later, I was left with more questions than answers.

"Are you alright Roza?" Olena asked softly, placing a kind hand over mine.

I thought about it for a moment and then turned to face her with uncertainty.

"Why the hell hasn't he ever told me all of this?"

I wasn't angry about the fact that he had a life before me. Lord knows I had a scandalous past all my own. But the difference here was Dimitri knew everything about mine.

"I can't speak for Dimka, but if I had to guess I'd say the pain. Maybe it was too painful for him to talk about."

 _Well tough shit!_

Remembering Mason was always painful, but he made me talk about that.

 _Plus this was definitely something a wife ought to know about!_

"Oh Roza" Olena sighed, picking up on my anger. "We both know what a private person Dimka is. He grew up the only man in a house full of women, and Ivan was the closest thing that boy had to a brother. After he died, he completely shut down, and even Ophelia couldn't bring him back again. Of course it was her fault that he died in the first place." She added bitterly. "They started fighting all the time, and then she called the engagement off. And that's when he transferred to St. Vladimir's."

Well this certainly put a few things in perspective.

Like why he felt so guilty over Ivan's demise; because he was off getting engaged to Ivan's sister.

Or why he fought our attraction for so long.

He knew Lissa would be his charge and what a relationship could cost him. He was so determined to never fail anyone again.

"What I'm trying to say is that the whole thing is pretty complicated. He loved Ophelia once, but he loved her brother more. And Ophelia is the reason Dimka lost him."

Even if it was true, it seemed an awfully cruel thing to say. I mean Ophelia lost her brother and the man that she loved. How would I feel if it had been Lissa and Dimitri?

 _I couldn't even imagine…_

And in that moment, I felt horrible for Ophelia.

"I think I need some air." I told Olena, pushing my chair back from the table. "Would you mind keeping an ear out for Sebastian?"

Her sympathetic smile was all the answer that I needed.

* * *

Wandering aimlessly around court, I considered calling Lissa. There was a good chance that she was still up with the twins.

But then I thought about how hard trying to explain it all would be; especially when I barely understood myself.

So instead I kept walking until I wound up at the gym and figured this was good a place as any to work things out.

And if nothing else, at least it would give me the chance to hit something.

I didn't even bother changing before I started in on the punching bag; immediately feeling relief after one hit. It felt so good in fact, that I hit it again, and again, over and over, increasing speed. It wasn't until I heard a man clearing his voice from somewhere nearby, that I realized I wasn't in this gym alone.

 _Who the hell else would be in here at such an hour?_

I glanced toward the sound and internally groaned when I found myself looked at Sasha Novak.

 _Well this is just great._

I guess it's time for round two with this asshole!

"Don't you think you've had enough fighting for one day?" He asked. "You should be home resting up for the next combine tomorrow morning."

"Yeah well it's kind of hard to sleep when you don't know where your husband is. Thanks to your son, his PTSD has returned with a vengeance."

And to my utter shock, the man actually looked contrite.

"Your face looks better" he remarked, as a way to change the subject. For some reason, he seemed less hostile than earlier.

"One of the perks of being friends with a spirit healer" I replied. "I don't suppose your son's got one of those on standby?"

"I'm afraid not" he said with a slight shake of his head. "Peter's never been very good at making friends."

"Really?" I answered dryly. "Well I can't imagine why."

After our brief encounter this morning, I had pegged him as a tight ass, so it took me by surprise when he cracked a smile.

"Guardian Hathaway" he sighed and his smile disappeared. "It would seem that I owe you an apology."

 _I'm sorry…what?_

"It turns out I was wrong about my son. One of the guardians in attendance brought a video to my attention, and it corroborated the story that you told me.

 _Well no shit._

"The only reason your fighting escalated was self-defense."

 _Damn right it was!_

And a slow goofy grin spread across my face.

 _Man I loved hearing that I was right…_

"I know you think that I'm an asshole, and I haven't given you much reason not to. But I assure you, I'm not half as bad as you think. This whole transition has been difficult, and a little hard to swallow. Let's just say it's not bringing out the best in me."

I hated to admit it, but it was totally understand.

I mean we'd basically swooped in here and stolen this man's whole life's work. The smug and immature part of me wanted to rub my victory in his face, but the rational side of me insisted that I not push it.

"Well thank you Sir, I really appreciate you saying that. I'm sure I probably could have handled things differently too."

"Perhaps" he smiled kindly. "But you aren't entirely to blame. With your genetics, you were bound to be a hot head."

And now it was my turn to be amused.

"Ha! Don't let my mother hear you say that!"

And he visibly paled at the thought…

After sharing a good laugh, he sombered up a bit and I got the feeling there was something more he needed to say.

"Listen, about Belikov; well I was wondering if it was true. Have you really not heard anything from him all day?"

I wasn't sure I should be telling this to what was more or less a stranger, but the man genuinely seemed concerned about Dimitri.

"No, but this isn't the first time that this has happened. It's a thing he tends to when he's feeling overwhelmed. But it IS the first that he's done it in a while. Back home I would have gone out to look for him by now, but then I knew all of his hiding spots over there."

"I see" he said absently, rubbing his chin. "Do you mind if I ask you something else?"

I wasn't quite sure where he was going with this, but I reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Is he happy?" he asked. "Not this second of course. But in general, does he have a good life?"

Well that definitely wasn't the question I was expecting to hear, but since he asked, I took a moment to consider it.

I thought about our wedding and when I told him we were expecting.

 _He'd certainly seemed happy enough back then._

I thought of the look on his face when we became Juliet's God parents, and his unbridled joy at her christening.

 _A joy we would repeating again this Friday._

But most important of them all was the day that Bash was born, and the permanent sparkle in Dimitri's eye ever since.

Was our life together perfect?

 _Not by any means._

But it was genuine and messy and wonderful.

Like us.

After making a mental note to look into why he cared so much later, I decided it wouldn't kill me to give Novak an honest answer.

"The last five years haven't exactly been easy, but generally speaking, this is the happiest I've ever seen him."

Novak smiled fondly; clearly pleased that this was my answer. And with a nod of farewell, he silently exited the gym.

* * *

 **Okay, lots of new information to digest!**

 **Dimitri and Ophelia were once engaged!**

 **Novak might not be the bastard we all thought!**

 **And Olena Belikova can hold a grudge. (Like any good Mama)**

 **Sound off with your thoughts in the reviews.**

 **Oh and for those of you worried about our dear brooding Dimitri, he will be back in the next chapter. : )**


	8. Chapter 8

**DPOV**

As I watched the sun slowly creeping up on the horizon, I knew the minute I got home, I was a dead man.

How many hours had I spent hiding here in quiet solitude, leaving Rose alone to face the fall out?

 _Long enough to make me feel like a coward…_

I was fully aware of just how selfish this all seemed, and yet I still couldn't bring myself to face her. This was exactly the kind of reaction she'd been worrying about, and I hated myself even more for disappointing her.

"I know you're up there Belikov" a familiar voice called out, and I cringed when I recognized it as Sasha Novak's.

 _How the hell could I face him after what I'd just done?_

I guess we were about to find out.

I heard him struggling quite a bit on the old creaky ladder, leading up to the tree blind I was in. I'd stumbled onto it once in my early teen years and it became something of a sanctuary for me. I could come here when I needed to be alone with my thoughts, and not even Ivan had known about this.

When Sasha finally reached the top, I heard him exhale in relief and I could tell that the effort had exhausted him. The man wasn't exactly young and the climb was quite steep.

Even I found it to be harder than I remembered.

The old tree blind was hidden well high among the dense tree tops; the structure several hundred feet above the ground. At some point in its lifetime it had been a guardian's watch post, but that purpose had long since been abandoned.

"How did you find me?" I asked once he'd sat down beside me, and he mumbled half a grunt in response.

"It wasn't rocket science Belikov; it's where you came when you were a kid."

 _Huh._

I didn't realize anyone else knew about that.

For several long minutes, we sat in comfortable silence as I mentally worked out an apology in my head.

"How's Peter?" I asked quietly once I'd finally worked up the nerve.

"Frankly, he's much better than he deserves."

There was an edge of disgust to the way that he spoke about his son, and curiosity temporarily replaced my guilt.

"I'm not sure I understand" I said turning to face him and I could have sworn that he'd aged ten years since this morning.

"Well that makes two of us" he sighed, rubbing his forehead in irritation. "Care to tell me what the hell happened to you today?"

Once the words left his mouth, my body stiffened in response, and a tidal wave of guilt threatened to swallow me whole.

After several hours of reflection I knew exactly what had happened. Of course that didn't mean that I was willing to talk about it.

"He attacked my wife" I said lamely as a way of explanation, but he scoffed knowing there was much more to the story.

"Oh give me a break Belikov, because I met your wife today. Something tells me she could handled Peter herself."

"That maybe be so" I admitted. "But that doesn't mean that she should have to. As her husband it is my job to protect her. Look you probably don't know this, but she's had a hard life, and I'm sick of standing by and watching while the world hurts her."

"It's an admirable concept Son, but it is awfully unrealistic. Surely you must know you can't protect her from everything; even herself. With a temper like hers, there's bound to be more fighting. Will you beat all those fools within an inch of their life as well?"

"Of course not!" I said appalled. "You know I don't have a violent nature."

"Well then what about this fight makes it so different?" He challenged. "What was the trigger?"

And once again he'd asked a question I couldn't answer.

How could I tell him when the memory was so personal? When I barely understood it all myself?

"Dimitri" he sighed after sensing my reluctance. "I can't help you if I don't understand."

Of course I still couldn't understand why he'd want to.

Mere hours ago, I nearly killed his only son. And yet here he sat showing me such compassion…

"Well if you won't talk to me, at least go home and see your wife. Your disappearance has her in something of a mood."

"You've seen Rose?" I asked, and he nodded in agreement.

"Not even 20 minutes ago in the gym. I won't lie to you Belikov, the woman seemed pissed. I think it's time that you go home and face the music."

"I don't suppose you happen to know just how much trouble I'm really in?"

And beside me Sasha shook his head and laughed.

"As far as I know, you're in no trouble officially. That wife of yours wouldn't even hear of it. She's surprisingly fierce for a woman of her size. A real spitfire if you will. Honestly I don't know you can put up with it."

"She's just spirited" I said smiling as I thought of my wife, and Sasha rolled his in response.

"That's just a polite way of saying she's a pain in the ass."

"Perhaps" I chuckled with amusement. "But Rose is definitely worth the trouble. Trust me and you will see it for yourself."

He eyed me carefully with suspicion before he finally resigned.

"I suppose I he" he sighed wearily. "I suppose I will."

* * *

By the time I got home it was well after midnight and everyone in the house was fast asleep.

It seemed my mother had arrived earlier than either Rose or I expected, and wasted no time making herself at home in our kitchen. I gladly heated up the plate that had been left out for me, and once full, I went to check in on Sebastian.

Unsurprisingly I found him sleeping soundly in his crib and I leaned in carefully to gently kiss his cheek. Just seeing his small face was therapeutic for me, so I stayed a few minutes longer to watch him sleep. I waited until a calm had completely settled over me, and then I quietly closed the nursery door on my way out.

Back in my own bedroom, I undressed in the dark, and then carefully slipped into bed beside Rose. Initially I'd thought that she too was asleep, but then I noticed the uneven pattern of her breathing. She was still as a statue, and she hadn't made a sound, but that was only because she wanted me to believe it.

"Roza" I sighed, snuggling my front against her back, and her body went rigid in response.

"I know you're awake" I continued, giving her bare shoulder a kiss, and with a heavy sigh, she rolled on her side and faced me.

The first thing I noticed was her beautiful face, and that it no longer showed any sign of injury.

 _Thank you Lissa_

I'd been worried that seeing her injuries could possibly set me off again, and was grateful that would no longer be an issue.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, reaching over to touch her face, but she surprised me when she swatted my hand away in irritation.

"Pissed Dimitri. That's how I'm feeling. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Her sudden rebuff caught me slightly off guard, and it took me a few seconds to recover.

"It's late" I answered lamely and her eyes hardened in annoyance.

"And I don't suppose you're going to tell me where you've been…"

"I just needed a little time to think."

She stared at me bitterly for a few seconds after, and I could literally feel myself shrinking under her harsh gaze.

 _No wonder it always scared Christian when she did this…_

"You needed to think" she repeated as a way of clarification. "And now that you have?"

"Now I'd like to apologize."

I got the impression that was the answer she'd been subtly searching for, because she fell silent and patiently waited for me to continue.

"I'm sorry Milaya, and not just for this morning. I'm sorry how I handled everything else after. I never should have run out on you the way I did today. And it was wrong of me to expect you to clean up my messes. I think that sometimes I take for granted how incredibly strong you are, and I can't imagine Han's is pleased with either one of us."

"That's an understatement" she grumbled wearily, growing tired from our fight, and I took a chance and reached out to touch her face once more. The moment that my palm came into contact with her skin, her eyes closed and all her anger dissipated.

"Damn it Dimitri, you have got to stop doing this. After five years, this self-loathing crap is getting old. A horrible thing happened to you, and yes you made a few mistakes. But you can't go on punishing yourself like this forever! You are a good man Dimitri, and you've made up for it the best you can. But now it's time for you to let this go."

"I'm trying" I whispered softly, as I discreetly averted my gaze.

But my obstinate wife wasn't having any of that.

"Try harder" she pleaded forcefully as her small hands gripped my face. "Not just for you, but for me and Bash as well. Do it for all of us Dimitri. Do it for your family. Please!"

And her blatant desperation broke my heart.

I stared back into brown eyes that were filling up with tears, and the love I felt for her suddenly consumed me.

"Oh Roza" I signed, bringing her soft lips to mine. "I'm so sorry" I continued murmuring against them.

I wasn't sure if this was the direction that she wanted things to go, giving them I couldn't even touch her ten minutes ago. But with her arms snaked around my neck, she gave my hair a gentle tug, and then I knew this was exactly what she wanted.

Eager to please, I deepened the kiss, licking her bottom lip to ask for entrance. Without hesitation her lips parted for me, and I let out a small moan when she pulled me closer.

As the kissing intensified, she shifted positions and let out a moan of her own when she felt me press against her.

 _God she was sexy._

And incredible

And she loved me.

And then I let myself get lost with her in bliss.

* * *

A few hours later I was thoroughly spent, and teetering on the edge of consciousness.

"Comrade" she whispered softly, her words nearly inaudible. "You never did tell me what happened back in that gym."

And just like with Sasha earlier, my whole body suddenly went tense, and I contemplated whether or not I should really tell her.

"Was it Ophelia?" she asked, completely blowing my mind.

 _How the hell did Roza know about Ophelia?_

"Your mother told me." She said answering my unspoken thought. "She stopped by and Olena kind of lost it."

"She came by our house?" I asked, looking for clarification. "But how did she even know where we live?"

"Beat me" Rose shrugged easily. "But she was here when I got home, and of course once I heard her name, I invited her in. After such a crappy day, I thought an old friend would do you good; not to mention I wanted some young Dimitri stories. But then your mother came downstairs, saw Ophelia and then just lost it. Turns out I got more information than I bargained for…"

I knew it took some effort for her to try and mask her pain, but it was obvious she was upset I'd kept this from here.

"Running into her was a shock; I won't deny that. But no, she wasn't responsible for me loosing it."

"Well then who was?" she asked again, and I finally relented. I knew she'd just keep pushing until I did.

"It was Nathan" I told her, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Or more accurately the way Peter reminded me of Nathan. I walked into that gym, and I saw you in that state, and I swear it was like we were right back at Galina's…"

She twisted around to look at me, and understanding lit her features.

She needed no further explanation from me.

"Comrade" she sighed sadly as she gently stroked my cheek. "Things are going to get easier here. I promise."

It wasn't the kind of promise that I knew Rose could really make, but at least it made her feel better to say it anyway.

After that we laid in silence until her breathing evened out, and I knew that Rose was finally asleep.

It was hard to be that in less than 24 hours, my perfect life had imploded. Maybe I was just destined to live like this. Between Peter, Ophelia and my mother's arrival, I certainly had plenty to deal with.

But as my eyes drifted closed, I heard Rose's words again.

" _Things are going to get easier here. I promise."_

Let's hope so.

* * *

 **See, I told you he'd be back : )**

 **Any thoughts on his relationship with Novack?**

 **Clearly there is more to the story with them. Anyone care to take a few guesses?**

 **We already know he's not his father, we've already met Alexander.**

 **I'll give you a hint: it has something to do with Olena.**

 **Reviews Please! : )**


	9. Chapter 9

**RPOV**

Even the worst days have to come to an end, and that particularly horrible Monday was no different.

The rest of the week however, seemed to fly by at warp speed, and before I knew it, it was Friday and the Christening.

Our second run at the Combine had gone much smoother than the first, and I finally had a Royal Guard in place. In addition to the veterans who had already earned their place, we'd added 15 additional members to the guard.

Including Lucy.

Initially I'd been worried I'd be accused of nepotism, but Lucy's performance put all my earlier fears to rest. She was as bad ass as they come; anyone with half a brain could see that. She'd more than earned her place among the guard.

A few more of those spots had gone to guardians from back home, but the majority of them were doled out to the Russians. It pained me to admit it, but Novak clearly ran a tight ship. There was no denying the abundance of Russian talent.

With the Royal Guard finally assembled, I was breathing a little easier, and it gave me more time to focus on Dimitri.

Aside from his initial freak out over his assault on Peter Novak, things had more or less returned to normal. When he woke up the next morning, it was as if it never happened, and I'd been back and forth on my feelings about that ever since.

 _Was it really healthy to just ignore his latest episode?_

According to Lissa, my mother, and pretty much everybody else, it was best to let Dimitri handle things his own way.

"Remember how well it worked out when you've pushed him in the past? Do you really want to risk alienating him again?"

"Oh come on" I complained to Lissa as I pulled Dominic's gown over his head. "Things are completely different now and you know it."

It was true in the past Dimitri had reacted poorly under pressure, but to be fair that had been more than four years ago. He'd just been restored and was suffering tremendous guilt. He was more equipped to handle my constant badgering now.

"Besides, I've got questions, and he's the only one with answers."

 _Like how he almost married somebody else and never mentioned it!_

Neither of us had seen or even spoken of Ophelia, but she'd taken up resident in the back of my spinning mind. Every time I thought about her, I felt myself turning green with envy, despite the beautiful ring that graced my finger. He was my husband and we had a son, and I didn't doubt his commitment. But that didn't make the news any easier to swallow.

"And I'm sure he will answer anything you want to ask him, when he's ready." Lissa argued as she finished tying the little cap on Dylan's head. I didn't even bother trying to do the same thing for Dominic. It was a miracle that he'd stopped screaming long enough for me to get him dressed. I wasn't about to press my luck over a hat.

"Easy for you to say" I grumbled back at my best friend. "You're the only girl that Sparky's ever been with."

 _How could she possibly understand how I was feeling?_

Dimitri hadn't just had another girlfriend before we met; he'd been in love and actually planned a different future.

 _What would my life look like if that future had panned out?_

It was a future I couldn't bear trying to imagine.

"Rose" Lissa sighed, giving me a sympathetic smile. "You have nothing to feel insecure about. Dimitri loves you and Sebastian and the life you have together. Nothing you learn about his past will ever change that."

I knew she was right, and that I had nothing to fear, but my irrational brain wouldn't let the issue go.

I'd met Ophelia once and the woman was a goddess! Not to mention the other half of his best friend. She knew things about him that even I didn't know.

 _His secret engagement was certainly proof enough of that…._

But in the interest of not spoiling such a special day for Lissa, I agreed to hold off on any kind of interrogation. Instead I dutifully bit my tongue and suffered alone in total silence while we stood before God and all our friends to claim the twins.

On the upside, Dominic managed to sleep through the entire ceremony, and when it was over I got my own son back again. Ever since Olena's arrival, he was hard to get my hands on. That woman couldn't get enough of her new grandson!

It was sweet really, and I appreciated all the help that we were getting, but like his father Bash was like a balm for me. Just holding him in my arms would help to melt away my stress, and these days I was feeling quite a bit of it.

The ceremony for the twins had been a private family affair, but as the Queen, Lissa felt obligated to hold a public reception afterward.

Naturally I had wanted to be in charge of running security, but as the twins God Mother I was forced into the spotlight. The new royal guard was in place and working under Hans command, and knowing he was on top of things eased my mind. After a cursory glance around the room, and finding no sign of any trouble, I took my son and headed for the nearest exit. The large banquet hall was bustling with over-eager kiss-ass Royals; all anxious to meet the newest Dragomir's.

Lissa's family line had basically doubled in size overnight, and the novelty of it wasn't lost on most them. For many of the royals, this was a cause for celebration, while others intended to use it to their own advantage. As Queen it seemed that someone was constantly asking her for something, and it appeared that even today would be no different.

Once the brown-nosing and political grab-assing became a little more than I could take, I decided now would be a good time to step out. Bash was getting fussy anyway and it was time for him to eat.

 _Not that he seemed to care much about his schedule._

Olena kept insisting it was probably the transition, or the fact that he was around the age for teething. She assured me the abrupt change in his eating patterns were normal, but even now I wasn't entirely convinced. I was a mother; I knew my son, and I knew something here seemed off. The problem now was getting someone to believe me.

Even Dimitri thought that I was being paranoid.

Pulling his bottle from my bag, I settled into the chair outside the ballroom and decided to give feeding Bash another chance. He stared reluctantly at the bottle I waved around in front of his mouth, and was pleasantly surprised to see him finally accept it. It was the first bottle that he'd taken since dinner time last night and I was grateful to see him finally eating something. So grateful in fact that I was completely preoccupied, and didn't notice the large shadow creeping up on us.

"I never would have pegged you as the maternal type."

 _Ugh. Peter…_

He was standing outside the ballroom in his typical guardian attire and still sporting a fair number of colorful bruises. His lip was pretty swollen and his left arm was in a sling, but even that wasn't enough to make me feel pity for him.

"What do you want?" I asked him briskly, not bothering with the pleasantries. I really wasn't in the mood for any crap. Being around this many Royals was always an exhausting task for me, and it took a great deal of effort pretending otherwise.

"My father sent me" he answered sourly, sounding like a petulant teenager. You'd never know the man was nearly 30 years old…

"Sent you for what?" I asked him with annoyance.

If this conversation had a purpose, he'd better get around to it quickly. Someone was bound to come out here searching for me soon. I had a notoriously bad habit of trying to skip out of these things, but the years had wizened Lissa to all my tricks.

When he didn't immediately answer I turned my glare on him to find that he looked nervous and kept shifting from foot to foot.

"Any day now would be good…"

And his eyes darted back to mine with defiance.

"You know your attitude it making it really hard to apologize." He spat.

"Apologize?" I repeated dumbly, but the word just didn't sound right. "Wouldn't an apology require you to actually feel bad about something?"

I didn't know much about Peter Novak, but I was pretty confident I knew enough, and there was no way this asshole was sorry about any of this.

In fact he said as much when he'd admitted that Sasha sent him.

"Look, no one ever said that I actually had to mean it. All Dad said was that I needed to apologize."

 _And there it is!_

"Okay well great, then consider the message delivered. For the record I'm not sorry that you got your ass beat either. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hungry baby to feed."

I turned my attention back to Sebastian who was nearing the bottle's end, and didn't even bother looking up when Peter muttered 'bitch.'

 _Because I haven't heard that one before…_

And seriously, what was the point of that conversation anyway? Other than to confirm that he's a prick!

I could feel my annoyance start to fester when I heard another awful sound; it was the sound of my least favorite Ivashkov.

Adrian's father.

After his impromptu marriage to Sydney, Nathan had all but disowned them both, and divorced Daniella after she'd sided with her son.

 _No big loss there…_

If you ask me, he did them all a favor.

Nathan Ivashkov was a self-important ass, who cared more about appearances than people. Personally I'd been glad to see him go.

After the scandal of Adrian's marriage, he'd choose to temporarily resign his position and abruptly disappeared from Moroi politics. Last any of us had heard, he'd been traveling abroad and lavishly living out his midlife crisis.

"Trust me" his voice echoed through the large great hall. "You have nothing to fear from any of them."

When his words reached me he was still around the corner and out of sight, so I had no way of knowing who he was talking to. Whoever it was answered back in a soft hushed tone, much too quiet for me to try to recognize.

"You're my wife" he answered sternly, "And its time the world knew it. I've made my decision and we're going in there. And that's final."

Holy crap!Adrian's dad got re-married?

 _But to who?_

Well a few seconds later, I got my answer…

* * *

 **So Adrian's dad's back, and it appears he's not alone. Any guesses on who the new Mrs. Ivashkov is?**

 **We've also got our little Bash with his own story brewing.**

 **What could possibly be going on with him?**

 **As always I appreciate all the wonderful reviews. They help inspire me to write and update faster!**

 **So don't forget to leave your thoughts for me below : )**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sydney's POV**

If there is one thing I've learned in my four years of marriage is that life with Adrian Ivashkov is never boring. It's intense, and it's maddening. It's also heart-stopingly wonderful. But boring just isn't in our vocabulary. Even on the days when life is blissfully normal, he finds some way to add a little spice. It's one if the things I love most about him, and one of the reasons I knew I was right to marry him.

You know it's funny because people said there was no way we'd ever last, and yet here we are four years later and going strong. See that's the thing about love; you can never really tell whether someone else's love is insurmountable. People can surprise you.

And so can their choice in partners.

And it's why I felt responsible to be the voice of reason now.

 _*Flashback*_

 _When Lissa sent me on a mission to find where Rose had wandered off to, I had a pretty good idea on where to look. I'd seen her sneaking off with Bash not long after the ceremony ended and figured she'd just stepped out to try and feed him._

 _Unfortunately for me, that wasn't all that I would find._

" _Rose" I started to call out as I pushed open the marble doors, but the man I saw outside them stopped me short._

 _He was standing proudly and defiant with his salt and pepper hair beside a woman that was young enough to be his daughter. The woman was much shorter, with a mop of curly blonde ringlets and although pretty, she had quite a baby face. Both of them were dressed in an air of confidence that screamed affluence, and to be honest, he looked as cruel as I remembered._

 _It had been several years since I had seen him, but I would know Adrian's father anywhere. Not to mention the signature scowl that he was wearing._

" _Mr. Ivashkov…" I sputtered in shock and he turned his glare from Rose to me. Clearly I had walked into something unpleasant._

" _Oh look" Rose chirped up with what was obviously false enthusiasm. "It's the other Mrs. Ivashkov. Hey Mia, have you ever met Adrian's wife?"_

 _Other Mrs. Ivashkov?_

 _I didn't know what the hell that meant, and so I turned to look between the three of them in confusion. Not knowing what else to do, I extended my hand to hers out of politeness, and the poor girl looked as if she wished the ground might swallow her whole._

 _Who was this girl, and what was she doing with Mr. Ivashkov. Or more importantly, what was he doing here at all?_

 _Last time that I had checked he was off traveling the world; hiding from the shame his family brought him. After his divorce from Daniella and his falling out with Adrian, he had all but disappeared from all our lives. He sold the house he had a court and started traveling abroad. None of us had heard much about him since._

 _Contact with him had been so minimal in fact, that I wasn't sure he even knew he was a grandfather!_

" _It's nice to meet you" I told the girl before I turned to look at Rose. "I don't suppose you'd like to tell me what's going on here."_

 _Rose opened up her mouth to tell me, but before she had a chance, Nathan stepped between us both and cut her off._

" _This really isn't any of your concern." He said levelly, giving me an icy glare._

 _Apparently his feelings about my marriage had yet to change._

" _Ha" Rose laughed bitterly. "Well I think that this concerns her plenty. Don't you think she deserves to know about her new stepmother in law."_

 _My stepmother in law?_

 _But that just couldn't be. The girl in front of me was even younger than Adrian!_

" _You look a little confused Syd. Is it because you're doing the math? Well let me save the trouble and tell you that Mia was in school with me and Liss."_

 _Unbelievable._

 _This girl was Rose's age?_

 _Then what the hell was she doing married to Nathan?_

" _I'm sorry" I stuttered dumbly. "but I still don't understand."_

" _Well that makes two of us" Rose declared turning on Mia in accusation. "Honestly Mia, what the hell were you thinking marrying him!"_

 _The girl bristled up when Rose suddenly attacked her head on and she squared her shoulders off and prepared to face her._

" _Since when are you against marrying an older man?" She spat at Rose. "Dimitri has got a few years on you yourself!"_

" _Yeah seven years Mia, not twenty seven! Plus Dimitri isn't a prick that ditched his family!"_

" _No of course not" Mia said sarcastically rolling her big blue eyes at Rose. "Saint Dimitri would never do something as terrible as that. I mean sure he killed a countless number of innocents while he was running amuck as a Strigoi, but I suppose that's nothing compared to familial disapproval. God Rose, you are such a hypocrite. What right do you have judging me and Nathan!"_

 _I gasped in shock when she brought up Dimitri's unsavory past, and had it not been for the baby in Rose's arms, I'm fairly certain she would have lunged. As it was, I thought she was actually still considering it._

" _Rose" I said with caution, trying to gauge her level of reason. "I really think that we should both go back inside. Lissa is looking for you, and this day is for the twins."_

 _And I saw the reason return to her with the reminder._

 _She nodded at me slightly before returning her sights on Mia._

" _Maybe I'm a hypocrite, but you're a heartless bitch, and you should know that showing up here was a mistake. Don't think that I've forgotten the way you used to torture Lissa, and I've been waiting for the day I could pay you back for that."_

" _You don't scare me" Mia sneered, but her body language was saying otherwise. I noticed it when she took a step closer to Nathans side._

" _Well then you're as stupid as you are heartless" Rose laughed hardly at the pair. "Especially if you think you're going in there."_

 _They both turned their gaze on the marble doors of the ballroom, and beside Mia, Nathan stiffened in response._

" _It's an open event Guardian Hathaway and you lack the clearance to try and stop us."_

" _Oh Mr. Ivashkov, but that is where you're wrong. My gold digging old friend isn't the only one moving up in the world. As the head of the royal guard, it is absolutely within my power to keep you out. Now you can leave her peacefully, or I can call in the cavalry, but something tells me you don't want me to make a scene."_

 _Rose had him there and she knew it._

 _Nathan Ivashkov was a man who cared a great deal about appearances, and a scene was that last thing that he wanted._

" _Keeping me out today doesn't change the fact that I'm back. My resignation was temporary, and I fully intend to be reinstated. If I were you Guardian Hathaway, I would get used to the idea because me and my new wife aren't going anywhere."_

 _Beside him Mia smiled smugly before they turned and walked away, and Rose and I reluctantly rejoined the party._

 _*End Flashback*_

Both of us agreed it was best not to tell Adrian; at least until we were in the comfort of our own home. With Adrian there was no telling what his reaction might be, and I thought it was better that we handle it here in private.

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to mentally play out my options, looking for the best way to drop the news. It was going to be a shock no matter how I chose to spin it, but I thought some sex appeal might help to soften the blow.

After slipping into his favorite nightie, I tied a silk robe over top and headed into Juliet's nursery to find my husband. He was sitting comfortably in the rocker that he sat in every night while reading Juliet a bedtime story. At 6 months old, she was more interested in eating the pages, but Adrian insisted on reading to her every night. So I waited patiently in the doorway and enjoyed watching their interactions until a soft giggle alerted Adrian to my presence. He looked up from the pages and his emerald eyes sparkled at me with joy.

I really hated that what I'd tell him next was going to crush that.

"That's quite a robe you've got on there Mrs. Ivashkov. But I bet it would look even better on the floor."

"Play your cards right, and I might just let you put it there…"

His rich green eyes suddenly lit up with excitement; clearly he was enjoying our verbal four play.

 _Four years later and we still hadn't lost our spark._

"I can't say I hate the sound of that." He smirked.

Rising from the rocker he strolled across the room to me, offering up Juliet for a kiss. At more than half a year old, she had finally mastered the art of self-soothing, and we now longer needed to rock our girl to sleep. I took her in my arms and nuzzled her chubby neck before I gently handed her back over to her father. Adrian's goodnight routine was similar to my own and he cuddled her once more before he laid her down to rest. She greedily took the small bottle he placed in her pudgy hands, and together we turned the light out and closed the door.

Despite the bomb I was about to drop, there was no denying our charmed life.

Hopefully Adrian would remember that as well.

"So listen…" Adrian said as he tugged gently on my robe's sash. "Do you think your bad news can wait until after sex. "

What?" I asked with a squeak; my voice raising an octave in surprise. "What makes you think I have bad news"

He took a moment and paused from his pursuit of my robe to give me an all knowing look.

"Call it experience, or history, or maybe four years of marriage, but the fact of the matter is I know you. You've been acting twitchy since you found Rose this afternoon. "

Thanks to his devil may care attitude and easy going smile; it was easy to forget how observant he can be.

"Adrian" I sighed heavily as I pushed him towards the bed. "I think its better you hear this now rather than later."

He eyed me skeptically and sighed before he plopped down on the bed, pulling my hand so that I landed right beside him.

"Fine, we'll do this your way. First the news and then the nookie."

And he looked so disgruntled I almost laughed.

But what I was about to tell him was no laughing matter, so I took a deep and steady breath and then began.

"I ran into your father after the christening."

Adrian who had been toying aimlessly with my bathrobe string suddenly stopped and met my cautious eyes with surprise.

"My father?" He repeated; his face showing his confusion. It was understandable given the complicated circumstances.

Little did he know it was about to get more complicated…

"Yes, he showed up at the christening but Rose wouldn't let him in. And I think that you should know he wasn't alone."

I waited a couple seconds for the news to settle in, and then continued to break the news to my poor husband.

"He was with his new wife; a woman Rose apparently knew. Needless to say she wasn't all that thrilled about it. Her name was Mia…" I added cautiously, unsure if I was overloading him with information. But he surprised me when he let out a hearty laugh.

"Mia Rinaldi? My dad married Mia Rinaldi? Oh man, I bet Rose completely lost her shit."

I stared back at my husband who was taking this rather well, not sure if this was a side effect of the shock. I'd expected anger, outrage, and maybe even a little disgust. But I certainly hadn't been expecting any laughter.

"You're laughing?" I asked incredulously?

And now I was actually kind of mad! All my worrying today had been for nothing.

"Syd, my dad married a girl 5 years younger than me. If that's not funny then I don't what it." He laughed easily. "Besides, who are we to criticize who one marries? We're about as unconventional as it gets."

It was the most reasonable thing I'd ever heard my husband say, and I felt as if I might just burst with pride. There was a time when this news would have sent him straight into a bottle, and now he was sitting bedside in our bedroom and he was laughing.

"So you're okay with this?" I asked, still searching for clarification. But I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"Well my mom will flip her shit, and I'm sure poor Belikov is getting an earful. But sure I'm okay with all of this if you are."

And with his assurance all my previous fears evaporated.

"I'm more than okay" I purred seductively in his ear, and his earlier sense of excitement suddenly resurfaced.

In the interest of keeping the romance, all our conversation came to a halt, and I let my husband show me just how okay we would be.

Nathan might be back and married to Rose's high school rival; but surely that was a problem for another day.

* * *

 **I thought it was time we check in with Adrian and Sydney. 10 chapters in and we hadn't heard much out of them.**

 **Plus it seemed appropriate given we were talking about Adrian's father.**

 **As for the new wife being Mia, I thought it seemed appropriate. When we first met her she was quite the social climber. Remember how hard she clung to Aaron because he was a Royal?**

 **Now I know in the books they made her less villainous in the end, but I never agreed with how easily they forgave her for torturing Lissa. The things she did just seemed downright cruel, and so marrying for status just didn't seem out of her wheelhouse.**

 **As always I'm looking forward to reading all of your reviews : )**

 **P.S. For the reader who was worried about Bash possibly being sick, let me go ahead and put your mind as ease. Little Sebastian is as healthy as a horse.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Dimitri's POV**

"I really don't see what the problem is."

We'd been having this conversation for the last 24 hours, and I was really getting tired of repeating it.

"This problem is that it's gross!" Rose argued back in outrage. "Not to mention sneaky, underhanded and manipulative. I mean how many times have we talked to Mia in the last two years, and she never thought to mention she was married? Why all the secrecy unless she knew that she was wrong?"

"Maybe she was worried about your reaction Milaya. Isn't it possible that her feelings are genuine?

"Genuine my ass" Rose mumbled under her breath. "The only thing she genuinely cares about is his wallet."

I shook my head tirelessly at my obstinate wife, and knew there was no sense in arguing with her.

It wasn't as if I couldn't understand her reasoning, and I could even she why she was upset. But Nathan marrying Mia wasn't hurting anyone, so I saw no reason for her not to let it go. Was their marriage unorthodox?

 _Sure, I'd admit to that._

But then so was a marriage between a human a Moroi. Or even more so between a guardian and a guardian.

Change was in the air; a change that Rose had helped to start. Was she honestly so surprised that changed touched others?

Against my better judgement I was about to say as much, but a sharp knock on the door got me off track. Not two seconds later a nurse strolled cheerily into the room, and her eyes lit up brightly at Sebastian.

"Oh my word! What a beautiful baby!" And she quickly started cooing at my son.

This was a typical first impression when meeting Bash. His charismatic nature was constantly drawing others in. Like a moth to a flame, they could never seem to stay away. It was a quality he'd inherited from his mother.

"Well hello there" she continued cooing and Bash flailed around in excitement. "What brings a handsome guy like you in here today?"

Despite my constant reassurance, Rose simply wasn't satisfied. She needed answers as to why he wasn't eating.

"He hasn't been eating well and his father and I are concerned." Rose explained, although our definition of the word concerned was currently varied. Rose was somewhere on the spectrum of emotional paranoia while I choose to remain cautiously optimistic. I'd spoken to my mother and I'd done all the research; both of which insisted that this was normal. A child of his age could cut a tooth any day now and it was the most likely culprit for his sudden lack in appetite.

"Well you were right to bring him in." The nurse chirped cheerily at Rose. "I always say it's better to be safe than sorry."

From her spot on the examining table, Rose looked at me and smiled. It was the smug kind she always wore when she felt right.

"Well his vital signs look good, so I don't think you need to worry. But I'll let Dr. Zeklos tell you that herself."

Rose whipped her head around to face me and I must have shrunk 10 sizes.

 _Had I seriously forgotten Ophelia worked here?_

A vague brush over my memory revealed a previous conversation in which Ophelia mentioned working at the clinic. It was the morning of my incident and it must have slipped my mind. And apparently now I'd pay a price for such a slip up.

The nurse who was oblivious to the sudden change in atmosphere cheerily continued out of the door that closed behind her.

"Well this should be cozy" Rose grumbled from the examining table, and Bash continued fidgeting on her lap.

"Roza" I said calmly, rising from the hard hospital chair. I knew the best thing to do right now was reassure her.

In the several years we'd been together, I'd never seen her so unsure. And I hated knowing that my secrecy was responsible for it. I'd imagined myself telling her a million times over the years, but the timing or the moment never felt right. It was such a painful memory, but I knew I'd had no right to keep it.

 _Not from Roza anyway._

And what was worse was that she'd been so graceful about it. Sure she'd make a snide comment if the opportunity presented itself, but she had yet to hound me endlessly for information.

 _I really needed to remember to thank her later for that._

After crossing the small examine room, I stopped in front of my wife and child, and I gently cupped my palm around her cheek. Her smaller hand covered mine as she leaned into my touch, and together we both let out a contented sigh.

"I'm sorry" she whispered softly. "I know this can't be easy for you."

"Oh Roza, I'm the last person you should be worried about." I told her and she gave me a warm a cheekily smile.

"Old habits die hard Comrade, so you better get used to it. I'll still be fussing over you when you're a wrinkly old man."

The sound of my hearty laughter filled the small room surrounding us, and Rose's own twinkling laughter soon chimed in. Even Bash wanted in on all the action and he let out a quiet giggle that both stunned and delighted Roza and I both.

It was in the little moments like this I was so grateful to be alive. And everything I'd had to endure to get here had all been worth it.

With a renewed sense of hope, I leaned in smiling to kiss my wife, and reveled in the softness of her lips. I kissed her deeply with a passion until we were both gasping for breath; momentarily forgetting about the baby in her arms.

That is until he let out a squawk of protest.

Pulling apart slightly, we both laughed at our soon in amusement, and we were still laughing when the door suddenly swung open.

* * *

 **Ophelia's POV**

 _I wonder if this will ever get any easier._

It was the first thought I had when I picked up Sebastian's chart, and again when I walked into the exam room.

They were huddled close together with their miracle baby between them, sharing what was clearly a private moment.

"Oh I'm sorry" I apologized, almost turning tail and running out. It was the first time I'd seen them both together.

I'd seen Dimitri a week ago, but there'd been no contact after that, and my last encounter with Rose involved her mother in law kicking me out. But even both of those times involved interacting with them separately. This was the first time that I was seeing them as a family.

Dimitri stood there looking stunned, while Rose was looking between us cautiously. That's how I knew Olena had told her. For an incredibly awkward heartbeat, no one quite knew what to say, but a stroke of luck saved us all from having to decide.

"Isn't he the most precious little boy you've ever seen?" The nurse said chirpily as she entered the room behind me. "I swear I can't over how cute he is!"

I took a quick moment to access the rolodex in my brain, searching for the name of this cheerful woman. She was a transfer from the old court, and I was still getting to know most of them. But thankfully my trusty memory chose not to fail me.

"I can't argue with that Chelsea." I said smiling at Bash. He really was an incredibly beautiful baby.

"So…" I continued, mustering every ounce of confidence in me. "What brings the three of you in here today?"

Rose looked between us warily and Dimitri took another step closer, strategically wrapping an arm around his wife. It was a gesture clearly meant to reassure his wife I was no threat, and she relaxed immediately the moment his hand touched her.

She gave me a brief rundown of Sebastian's lack of appetite, while Dimitri eyed her fondly with amusement. Clearly he didn't think her concerns warranted a clinic visit, but I got the sense that Rose was force to be reckoned with. Chances were it was simply easier to humor her.

"I see" I mused out loud once Rose had finished her explanation. "Well it certainly couldn't hurt to take a look."

I took a calculated step closer to the small examining table, and Rose handed her small son over for inspection. A few standard tests revealed nothing physically to be seen, but there was still one more thing I wanted to try. I snapped on a pair of fresh latex gloves and gently began palpating his toothless gums. There was a good chance that his symptoms were all associated with teething, and he proved me right a couple of seconds later. I'd been expecting to find signs that a tooth was on its way, but I was completely unprepared what happened after.

A small bite pinched my finger and it punctured through my glove; causing me to yank back in surprise.

"Oh!" I exclaimed glancing down at my gloved finger. And that's when I noticed a spot of blood. A few seconds later I felt a slight buzz of endorphins; the kind generally resulting from a Moroi bite.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Rose questioned frantically.

But my startled brain couldn't seem to form an answer.

"Ophelia…" Dimitri prompted; his face now grim and filled with worry.

 _How the hell was I going to explain this to both of them?_

I was fairly confident I'd found the reason for Bash's sudden change in appetite. The problem now was finding a way to make it possible.

"Ophelia" Rose pleaded, this time with anguished urgency. Her emotions were spiraling out of control in fear.

"I think I may have found a tooth…" I answered once I found my voice. "But I need to check again just to be certain."

With a shaky hand, I swiped along his gums again, and this time his lips clamped hard around my finger. The moment they were sealed, I felt the burn of a bite again.

And with sudden clarity, I knew that I was right.

"Well?" Rose asked in irritation. I knew the suspense had to be killing her.

With careful precision, I pulled my finger free, and the action instantaneously incited crying. Rose rushed to grab her child, and cradled his small body next to her while Dimitri stared at my bloody glove wide eyed. I turned to the nurse beside me who'd been watching in quiet silence and instructed her to grab a blood bag from the lab. I'd also requested that she bring me a blood drawing kit as well.

I had a sinking suspicion that we were definitely going to need it.

She looked at me nervously, but quickly did as she was told. And then I turned my focus back on Bash's parents.

"Why do you need blood?" Dimitri asked me in surprise. He looked just as baffled by the request as my nurse had.

"Because I believe a lack of blood is what's causing his change in appetite."

Neither of them seemed to understand where this was going, and probably wouldn't unless I plainly laid it out.

"I know this sounds crazy, and maybe even impossible, but all signs are pointing to one thing."

Rose rolled her eyes in irritation.

"Would you just spit it out already?"

So I ripped off the metaphorical band aid.

"What I'm trying to tell you is that your son is a Moroi."

* * *

 ***BOOM!***

 **Your mind is blown right?**

 **Well you can tell me all about it in your Review! : )**


	12. Chapter 12

**RPOV**

After three long hours and a countless number of tests, I still couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Dimitri was a Dhampir.

I was a Dhampir.

 _So how the hell could our son be a Moroi?_

"I wish I had more answers, but for that I'll need more time. All I can say with total certainty is that Sebastian is a Moroi." Ophelia told us.

"But how can you be sure?" Dimitri asked her undeterred. "He only started showing symptoms just last week!"

"Believe it or not, he's on a fairly routine timeline. Even a normal Moroi child doesn't start craving blood until their fangs start coming in. Until then, they share a diet similar to that of Dhampirs."

A normal Moroi child…

 _What was that supposed to mean?_

It meant my son was now the subject of constant scrutiny.

In our society being different wasn't something people tolerated very well. Dimitri and I both had the emotional scars to prove it. No one had reacted favorably when they learned of mine and Lissa's bond. And poor Dimitri had practically been chased around with pitchforks. It took a ridiculous number of experiments before their curiosity had been satisfied, and only then did they give him any peace.

Given half a chance I knew they'd do the same to Bash, and the realization suddenly had me seeing red.

Well not on my watch, or even as long as I was breathing. There was no way they'd get their judgmental hands on my son.

Up until this point I'd been too stunned to try and speak, but watching Dimitri and Ophelia go round and round was getting exhausting.

"Who cares how it happened! The how isn't what matters Comrade. The question now is what are we going to do about it? How the hell are we going to protect our son?"

When my voice cracked on the last word, Dimitri's brown eyes softened at me, and with three large steps he quickly crossed the room. He gazed tenderly down at me and our son before wrapping us in his embrace, and I closed my eyes, somewhat comforted by the contact.

"Shhh" Dimitri soothed as he gently stroked my hair. "I promise nothing bad is going to happen."

I wanted nothing more than to believe him, but I wasn't born naïve. I knew that was a promise he couldn't keep it.

"You say that now Comrade, but you don't know what's going to happen. What if we can't protect him when this comes out?"

Even I could hear just how hysterical I was starting to sound.

"Roza, there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect our family. Do you remember the day in the coffee shop, when the Royal Guard came for you?"

 _It wasn't a memory I was likely to ever forget._

It was the moment that I knew that he still loved me. That he was still in there and still capable of being loved. The way with which he fought for me, like it was the last thing he'd ever do. He'd never looked so beautiful or so deadly.

Even as a Strigoi he lacked that kind of fierce emotion; the kind that told me he would fight for me til his last breath.

Remembering the memory left me unexpectedly choked up, so I simply nodded my head yes as an answer.

"Good" he smiled kindly. "Then keep reminding yourself of that day, because the man that is still in here. I will never stop fighting for you Milaya; for our family and for our son. And I promise you that IS a promise that I will keep."

He words did help to soothe me; as did his familiar touch, and in that moment I decided to let myself believe him.

"Rose I know you're scared, but no one has to know about this. At least not until the two of you are ready." Ophelia added. "And in the mean time I can try to find more answers."

It was the last thing that I'd expected from Dimitri's ex-fiancé, but I was grateful for her kindness all the same. What she was offering couldn't be easy for a woman like Ophelia. She was a scientist who'd made one hell of a discovery. Surely she was eager to share her findings with her peers, but luckily for us her loyalty towards Dimitri eclipsed all that.

"You would do that?" Dimitri asked her, his brown eyes shining with gratitude. And if I hadn't felt so relieved, I would have been jealous.

"Of course" Ophelia answered; her tone sounding a bit offended. "I would never willingly put your family in jeopardy."

But the truth was we were in jeopardy all the same.

Even if we somehow kept this secret, there was still so much we didn't know. We didn't have a clue as to what his future would hold.

And just like that I was 16 again.

I started to relieve the pain and confusion from the bond that had formed between me and Lissa after the accident. I remembered the overwhelming fear that came from a lack of understanding, and how awful it felt not knowing what to expect. And then there had been Lissa with her crazy unnamed magic that left us both staring at an unknown future.

 _Oh what I wouldn't give to spare Bash from all of that…_

"Thank you" I told her earnestly and she answered with a genuine smile.

 _Perhaps Olena had been wrong about this woman._

* * *

 **OPV**

"Why don't the two of you take him home, and maybe try to get some rest. I'll get started analyzing these samples in my lab."

I could see that they were frightened, and unfortunately with good reason. News like this was bound to rock our world's foundation.

As far as anyone else knew, Bash was the only one of his kind.

There were no documented cases of any two Dhampirs who had conceived, and as a result no one could have known what to expect. I think the most logical expectation was that they'd create another Dhampir.

I doubt if anyone would have been able to predict this.

But the evidence had been irrefutable.

Further testing showed that Bash indeed had sprouted fangs, and he had taken to the blood with natural ease. Even his own blood sample had the genetic makings of a Moroi. But there were still so many questions left unanswered.

The most troubling part for me was his collection of unique abilities; like the ability to withstand time out in the sun.

It was a trait that no normal Moroi could carry.

There was also the looming question as to whether he could practice magic, but that was something we wouldn't know about for years.

It took quite a bit of persuasion, but they eventually agreed to leave on the condition I call them the minute I managed to find them any answers. There were also kind enough to leave me with some blood samples of their own and I quickly threw myself into the search.

It took several hours locked in my lab while getting familiar with my microscope, but I eventually emerged with a feasible answer.

 _Of course it probably wasn't the answer either one of them had been hoping for._

"So let me get this straight…" Rose said as she paced around the living room, while I diligently tried to ignore Olena's glare. She was standing in the doorway beside Dimitri and Sebastian, and she looked as angry as the last time I had seen her.

"What you're saying is that we created a super race?"

When she put it quite like that I knew it sounded a little bit crazy, but yes that was more or less the gist of it.

"It's what Sebastian's genetic makeup would suggest."

"But how can that be possible? We're just a couple of boring Dhampirs! Nothing about what you're telling us makes any sense!"

Rose's desperation to understand was clearly evident in her cry and I struggled for a better way to explain this.

"You and Dimitri are both Dhampirs, but you are far from ordinary. At least according to your own genetic makeup. The blood samples you both gave me contained a remarkable amount a spirit; so much so that it actually altered your own DNA. Both samples showed in an increase in Moroi genetic markers; a number significantly higher than that of a regular Dhampir. When you combine that with the amount of spirit you both have running through your veins, well I believe it was the reason you could conceive."

There was a look that passed between them suggesting that this bit was old news, and it seemed now it was my turn to be confused.

"Did you know about the spirit?" I asked looking between the both of them, and after a long pause Dimitri nodded and Rose sighed.

"Dimitri and I have a complicated history."

"In the year following my restoration, I was recruited to work on an experiment. It was to determine the lasting effects of being a Strigoi. The whole thing came about when it was brought to our attention that Strigoi restorations weren't as rare as we believed. Adrian Ivashkov came across a case while he was living in Palm Springs, and that's when we learned a restored Strigoi can never be re-turned. The project did have some success in the effort to create a Strigoi vaccine, but the amount of spirit infused blood required halted its progress." Dimitri told me. "Adrian's been searching for an alternative solution ever since."

The whole thing sounded so fanatical that I could barely even believe it. And if it had been anyone other than Dimitri saying this, I probably wouldn't have.

"Incredible" I murmured awestruck over the progress they'd been making. "How is it that I've never heard about this?"

In the scientific community, this news would spread around like wildfire. But in the four years that this had been happening, I'd heard nothing.

"Lissa wanted us to keep a lid on this." Rose added. "She thought it would have far reaching consequences. We learned at a young age with Victor Dashkov that there are a lot of fanatics out there. Knowing you could create a Strigoi vaccine by extracting restored blood would start a manhunt. And then every restored Strigoi out there would be fair game."

Her eyes darted in Dimitri's direction and I could guess what she was thinking. He'd spend the rest of his life looking his shoulder as well.

To be honest the chances of someone capturing him seemed less than probable, but that didn't guarantee the others out there were safe. In all likely hood there were hundreds out there who unlike Dimitri had no defense. Like the elderly, and the helpless and the Moroi.

 _And now their child._

Despite the summer air, I felt a chill straight to my bones.

There had to be some way we could protect him.

"If what you're telling me is true, then Bash's news can never come out. God only knows what kind of secrets his blood could unlock. A gift this rare and precious would set the whole Moroi world on fire. His secret has to be protected at all costs!"

I hadn't intended to alarm them, but that's exactly what I did. I could read the fear on both their faces as plain as day.

"I'm sorry" I started back peddling.

 _Me and my stupid mouth._

"I know that came out sounding harsh, but that doesn't make my words less true. It's imperative no one ever finds out about this."

"I think it's a little late for that." Olena added from her new spot next to the window. I hadn't even noticed her cross the room.

Dimitri was the closest to her and he quickly closed the gap, and once behind her I heard him curse under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked him frazzled. Her voice was on the brink of hysteria.

And the sight outside the window pushed her over.

"Shit!" She muttered frantically. "Shit shit shit shit shit!"

And after reaching the window myself, I understood why.

There was a hoard on people out on their lawn, along with a number of camera crews. There were even a few protesters that carried signs. It was fear and madness for as far as the eye could see.

 _How the hell had word about this gotten out?_

The only other person who knew about this was the nurse.

"Dimitri" Rose whispered quietly as she gently pulled Sebastian closer. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

He looked away from the window with his face full of determination.

"Whatever we have to do Milaya. Whatever we have to do."

* * *

 **I don't know about you guys, but I'd feel pretty safe with Dimitri ; )**

 **Any thoughts on what will happen next?**

 **I know some people didn't love the idea of Bash being a Moroi, but to me it didn't seem right to just make him a dhampir. Rose and Dimitri had both been touched by large amounts of spirits, and surely that had to have had some sort of effect.**

 **Plus this opens up a whole new world of possibilities.**

 **Who knows what kind of talents little Sebastian may have!**

 **What would you enjoy seeing from him?**

 **Sound off in the reviews : )**


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